Rumor Has It
by Parker K. Harvelle
Summary: FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.
1. Meredith

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

**Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once. Some of the chapter is taken from the book but it is not a complete rehash of the book as it'll get more AU as we go on. Please tell me what you think!**

**WARNING!: Chapter 2 is a A/N!  
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><p><strong>Rumor Has It.<strong>

**Chapter 1: Meredith.**

The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive. Cars that were usually gleaming stood dusty in their drives and lawns that were once emerald green lay parched and yellowing - 'for the use of hosepipes had been banned due to drought. Deprived of their usual car-washing and lawn-mowing pursuits, the inhabitants of Privet Drive had retreated into the shade of their cool houses, windows thrown wide in the hope of tempting in a nonexistent breeze.

Meredith found it all pretentious and boring. She lived on Privet Drive since she was a year old and she'd watched year after year as nothing changed, everything stayed the same. This summer though did differ in one way from the others, this summer there was no external sounds of screaming kids, splashing water from pools and water-hoses. The Summer's heat had made practically unbearable for anyone to linger outside without fear of heatstroke. The only person left outdoors was a teenage girl who was lying flat on her back in a flowerbed outside number four – which just so happened to be her.

She was a skinny, red-haired, girl who had the pinched, slightly unhealthy look of someone who has grown a lot in a short space of time – a miracle in her mind as she'd feared being a short5'0 for the rest of her life. Her jeans were torn, dirty, and barely kept up by a thick belt wrapped multiple times around her petite waist. Her T-shirt was baggy and faded, and the soles of her trainers were peeling away from the uppers. The strangest part of her appearance was her eyes, they were strange all on their own and often caused people to stop and stare. For as long as she could remember her eyes had been to different colors, her left the same bright green her mother had and the right was a brilliant hazel that sometimes appeared almost as green as her left.

Overall Meredith Potters appearance did not endear her to the neighbors, who were the sort of people who thought scruffiness ought to be punishable by law, but as she had hidden herself behind a large hydrangea bush this evening she was quite invisible to passers-by. In fact, the only way she would be spotted was if his Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia stuck their heads out of the living-room window and looked straight down into the flowerbed below.

Meredith Lily Potter had lived with her Aunt and Uncle since she was one, having been orphaned when a Dark Lord calling himself Voldemort had come into power and targeted the Potters. Upon their death she'd been sent to the Dursley's, her own personal purgatory. The Dursley's prided themselves on being normal, and Meredith simply wasn't normal like her relatives, and personally she rather not be.

She was a witch but even as a witch she couldn't be normal. When Voldemort had killed her parents he'd cast his wand on her but for some reason – assumed by Dumbledore to be the power of love and sacrifice – the killing spell had bounced off her and hit him, destroying his body for nearly fourteen years. Just two years ago he'd returned and her life had become that much more complicated.

Before Hogwarts though she'd thought she was simply a freak like her relatives often told her. Her eleventh birthday had been the best day of her life, she'd found a home at Hogwarts, something she'd never had before. Point of the matter was there had never been any love between her and the Dursley's so there was no love lost either. Until she'd gotten her Hogwarts letter neglect and abuse had been ritual in the Dursley's home. Though the abuse had been more emotional then physical she could still recall a few hits here and there and a number of beatings from her uncle which she could count on both her hands. Now it was mostly emotional unless Dudley was in the mood to revive a game of Merry Hunting.

"Where's the girl today Pet?" She heard Vernon asked and she raised an eyebrow as she turned her eyes from the sky to stare at the window seal.

"No idea," Petunia said and she rolled her eyes. Hadn't she heard this conversation before. Before it could go any further Meredith stood up, careful not to hit her head on the open window. Just as she was about to leave she felt the beefy hand on her wrist which wrenched her around.

"What are you doing out there girl?" Vernon asked, his face turning an ugly purple having already achieved a raging red. She fought herself not to roll her eyes and tore her wrist out of his hand, wincing at the pain of doing that. Just from looking at it she could tell it would bruise over within a few seconds.

"Nothing Uncle Vernon."

"Vernon leave the girl be," Petunia said as she looked disdainfully at her niece who in her mind resembled her sister to much for her own liking. "Leave the house for a while girl. I don't want to see you for the rest of the day."

"Yes Aunt Petunia," Meredith said and turned to leave, rolling her eyes as she did.

"Don't roll you eyes at me girl!" She heard her aunt call back and she wondered for a moment how her aunt had known she'd rolled her eyes. She shrugged, not really caring enough to stop and ask her aunt. Best to let sleeping horses lay, after all she didn't need to give Vernon any reason to take up his old hobby of lets-beat-Merry-senseless, yeah he had just as much imagination with tittles as Dudley did. That is to say none.

She spent the rest of the day under a tree at the park on Magnolia Crescent. It was deserted mostly, though she saw a few people wander by. The most noticeable was a woman with black hair and what appeared to be dark eyes, probably no older then her mid twenties. What caught her attention wasn't her appearance though, it was the large black dog she was walking. As she and the dog passed by tears filled her eyes and sniffed, trying to force them back.

Her fifth year at Hogwarts had not been fun or what you could call safe. She didn't know what the old coot was thinking when he allowed Umbridge into the school but it had led to many students being abused, including herself. Self consciously she began running the pad of her thumb over the words carved into her right hand.

_**'I MUST NOT TELL LIES.'**_

She was sure she'd always have the scar. More scars were not what she needed. The point was the school year had ended with her near successful crucio of Bellatrix LeStrange after she'd killed her Godfather, Sirius Black. Not to mention Voldemort having possessed her but was forced out not long after. It was her fault Sirius had died but she tried not to think of it, after all Sirius wouldn't have wanted her to dwell on it, would he?

It was around 9 when she wondered back to Privet Drive and after endearing a long yelling tantrum about how late and ungrateful she was she was sent to her room without dinner. She didn't much care to tell the truth, she could go days without food thanks to years of practice.

"Hedwig what are you doing back so soon?" Meredith asked an hour latter as she opened the window for the weighed down owl. She winced as the snowy bird dropped a dead rat on the bed and hooted softly, puffing her chest out. It almost seemed as if she was so proud of her bounty she didn't care about the letter on it's foot. With a sigh Meredith sat at her desk, as old and broken down as it was, and reached out for the letter which Hedwig gleefully stuck her foot out for her to take.

Meredith Potter was on the front and she instantly knew who it was from because of the slanted script, she rolled her eyes then. Dumbledore. She respected the old man, and had once thought of him as a grandfather but over the years she had slowly saw through it all. True he only had her best interest at heart but he was playing a messy game with her life and after fifth year she'd had enough of his half-truths and manipulations. She wondered if he had done the same with Tom Riddle's life but always shut the thought away as soon as it entered her mind.

She tossed the unopened letter onto the top of the desk, which was messy, much like the rest of the room. A mess of newspapers sat primarily in a puddle of light on her desk, the letter on top of it covering the first few letters of the headline of one, but she knew what it said from memory by now.

The headline of one blared:

**MEREDITH LILY POTTER: THE CHOSEN ONE?**

**Rumors continue to fly about the mysterious recent disturbance at the Ministry of Magic, during which He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was sighted once more.**

**"We're not allowed to talk about it, don't ask me anything" said one agitated Obliviator, who refused to give his name as he left the Ministry last night.**

**Nevertheless, highly placed sources within the Ministry have confirmed that the disturbance centered on the fabled Hall of Prophecy.**

**Though Ministry spokes wizards have hitherto refused even to confirm the existence of such a place, a growing number of the Wizarding community believe that the Death Eaters now serving sentences in Azkaban for trespass and attempted theft were attempting to steal a prophecy. The nature of that prophecy is unknown, although speculation is rife that it concerns Meredith Potter, the only person ever known to have survived the Killing Curse, and who is also known to have been at the Ministry on the night in question. Some are going so far as to call Potter "the Chosen One," believing that the prophecy names her as the only one who will be able to rid us of He-Who-Must-No t-Be-Named.**

**The current whereabouts of the prophecy, if it exists, are unknown, although {ctd. page2, column 5)**

A second newspaper lay beside die first. This one bore the headline:

**SCRIMGEOUR SUCCEEDS FUDGE**

Most of this front page was taken up with a large black-and-white picture of a man with a lion-like mane of thick hair and a rather ravaged face. The picture was moving — the man was waving at the ceiling.

**Rufus Scrimgeour, previously Head of the Auror office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, has succeeded Cornelius Fudge as Minister of Magic. The appointment has largely been greeted with enthusiasm by the Wizarding community, though rumors of a rift between the new Minister and Albus Dumbledore, newly reinstated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, surfaced within hours of Scrimgeour taking office.**

**Scrimgeours representatives admitted that he had met with Dumbledore at once upon taking possession of the top job, but refused to comment on the topics under discussion. Albus Dumbledore is known to (ctd. page 3, column 2)**

**To the left of this paper sat another, which had been folded so that a story bearing the title ministry guarantees students' safety was visible.**

**Newly appointed Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, spoke today of the tough new measures taken by his Ministry to ensure the safety of students returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this autumn.**

"**For obvious reasons, the Ministry will not be going into detail about its stringent new security plans," said the Minister, although an insider confirmed that measures include defensive spells and charms, a complex array of countercurses, and a small task force of Aurors dedicated solely to the protection of Hogwarts School.**

**Most seem reassured by the new Minister's tough stand on student safety. Said Mrs. Augusta Longbottom, "My grandson, Neville — a good friend of Meredith Potter's, incidentally, who fought the Death Eaters alongside him at the Ministry in June and —**

But the rest of this story was obscured by the large birdcage, which Hedwig was now sitting upon with annoyance, knowing his owl like she did she was probably annoyed that she'd went through all the trouble to get the letter to her and Meredith had yet to open it.

"I know, I know you want me to open it." Hedwig hooted and Meredith chuckled. "Okay but please get rid of that rat. The only rat I want to you to bring me is Wormtail and unless that's him get rid of it."

As it was she'd have to get some new sheets and a comforter from the linens and throw that one in the wash before Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon woke. Thankfully there was no way they'd hear it since it was all the way down in the basement. Hedwig narrowed her amber gaze before hooting softly and going to the bed and plucking the rat up and heading for the window. It looked like she would take off but then she superciliously dropped the rat and hopped back onto her cage, her chest puffed out proudly and a smug like look on her face.

With hesitance born of not wishing to read the letter she opened it and pulled out the parchment inside.

**Dear Meredith,**

**If it is convenient to you, I shall call at number four, Privet Drive this coming Friday at eleven p.m. to escort you to the Burrow, where you have been invited to spend the remainder of your school holidays.**

**If you are agreeable, I should also be glad of your assistance in a matter to which I hope to attend on the way to the Burrow. I shall explain this more fully when I see you.**

**Kindly send your answer by return of this owl. Hoping to see you this Friday,**

**I am yours most sincerely,**

**Albus Dumbledore.**

"Most sincerely huh," Meredith muttered bitterly as she crumbled the letter. Five days until he arrived, great. "Happy now girl?" Hedwig nodded as she looked up from grooming her feathers, sometimes it amazed her just how human the bird could seem.

She spent the next hour cleaning her bed sheets and comforter and putting the now fresh ones back on her bed. By then it was almost one in the morning and Meredith decided to lay down, knowing her Aunt and Uncle they'd wake her bright and early to cook their breakfast like the lazy swine they were. With a chuckle Meredith fell into a dreamless sleep – at least for the moment.

**xXx**

_She wasn't in her bed anymore, but in a place she didn't quite remember at first. Then it hit her, Riddle Manor, possibly the same room she'd seen Wormtail and Barty Crouch Jr in her fourth year. She turned slowly, observing the room and the differences in it between then and now. _

"_What are you doing here?" The voice was velvety smooth and charming without even trying but also had a underline of a promise, a promise of pain if he wasn't respected or answered properly. _

_She swung around, her red hair flying behind her as she turned. In front of her was none other then Voldemort but there was a difference. Instead of the snake man she'd seen reborn or even in June at the department of mysteries this one looked almost exactly like diary Riddle. He appeared a little older, wasn't wearing the school uniform but respectable robes any well off wizard of proper standing would wear and his eyes were not the charcoal green color they had been before but a bright crimson. _

"_Voldemort?" she asked dumbly and she watched as the blank yet cold mask softened a bit, curiosity burning in the Dark Lord's eyes. He stepped closer to her and on instinct Meredith stepped back, and for once noticed she wore what she'd worn to bed, a large t-shirt with the Gryffindor house crest on the left breast. Hermione had given it to her for her last birthday, and it was a two sizes to big but still over covered to mid thigh. "Where am I, did you bring me here?" _

"_Hmm, no Potter I did not," Voldemort said and stopped just as she was back as far as she could get from him, her back hitting the wall. His lips quirked up in a half-smirk and he tilted his head. She shivered slightly as his eyes roamed over her body, wishing she had worn something other then the large shirt to bed, like some pants. "I assume you were asleep, or are asleep should I say." _

"_So you didn't bring me here?" she asked and the man rolled his red eyes at her. _

"_I believe I just said that, yes." _

"_Then what..."  
>"I do not know," he said cutting her off. "How are you this summer Merry?" <em>

_She winced and glared. "Don't call me that." _

_Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "Oh, your friends do, do they not?" _

"_They're my friends, there is a difference Tom." Voldemort narrowed his eyes at the girl who looked defiantly back at him with mismatched eyes and he shrugged. _

"_Very well," he said ignoring the use of his birth name and sitting on the same chair she'd seen him sit in during the dream from fourth year. "Don't just stand there, have a seat Potter." _

"_Why, shouldn't you be trying to kill me?" Meredith asked and he snorted. _

"_I don't think it'd take in a dream-scape, use that brain of yours girl." He looked at her as she sat slowly on the chair that'd appeared across from him. "After all that's what it's there for." _

"_Funny," she muttered dryly. "Can't you send me back, I don't really want to be here." _

"_Nor do I, but as I don't know what brought us here I can undo it." The silence was awkward for a few moments before Meredith couldn't take it anymore and asked. _

"_What happened to you? Last I saw you were sporting the snake look and no nose." Voldemort looked at her amused, though his face was rather blank she could still read his eyes like a book, though she suspected that was because he allowed her too. _

"_I can switch between the two forms at will, a ritual I found during the first war. You didn't think I chose to be that repugnant did you Meredith?" he said and Meredith hummed. It made since, from what she'd learned about Tom Riddle during second year he was rather vain about his looks and wouldn't have just thrown that away for power, after all what was one without the other? _

"_So it's jut to scare everyone out of their wits?" Voldemort smiled slightly. _

"_Yes, only my inner circle and now you have been blessed the chance to see my true form, which is the one you see before you in case you get any ideas." Meredith fought back a smile but lost but it was gone seconds latter as she remembered with whom she was with. _

"_You never did answer my question," he suddenly said. "How is your summer Meredith?" _

"_It'd be better if my godfather were still alive and if Bellatrix were dead," she snapped, Voldemort raised an eyebrow. _

"_How rather bloodthirsty of you, whatever would Dumbledore think?" _

"_Screw Dumbledore, Bellatrix killed Sirius and I'll kill her for it. And eye for an eye, she'll have to pay for it one day." She watched as the Dark Lord laughed, though it wasn't the evil, high pitched cold laugh she was used to, this one was almost human, but still cold enough to make her realize this was still Voldemort she was talking to. _

"_You intrigue me Potter." _

"_I don't know weather to be flattered or worried." _

"_Both would probably be a good start." _


	2. Had to be done

**A/N:**

Okay, I am so used to this and I hate to do this to you all but it must be done just to get the word out. I love reviews guys, they're my plot bunny and muses food and inspiration but I understand flames are gonna be inevitable at one point or another but I have a pet peeve. Anyone who knows some of my other work on other accounts - I have four just so ya know - will know what that peeve is.

I_** HATE** _anonymous flames, to me that's the cowards way out. I do keep the anonymous review enabled for those who don't have the time to log in or don't have an account but really if you're going to take the time to flame a story - and not even with creative criticism or whatever that helpful thing is called then don't flame at all.

We all are entitled our opinions but I don't understand how someone can read ONE chapter and automatically label a character a Mary Sue? I take great pains and lengths to stop that from happening, and I know pretty well what a Mary sue is, almost ten years of Role Playing can do that and over that many years writing on this site as well. Her appearance may be cliche and the fact she is a female Harry but that doesn't make her a Mary Sue. She isn't all powerful, she isn't so beautiful the gods want to bow down to her every whim and really she is a lot like Canon!Harry only female and looks more like Lily Potter then her James Potter.

Now to everyone who loves this story and to the other review that I am very happy to have I hope you enjoy this story. I will be updating soon, working on the second chapter now so please let me know what you all think - yes even flames are welcome but for the love of Harry Potter and Tom Riddle sign it!

Now to list some cliche (but loved) fandoms we shall be using in this story.

**DARK!HARRY**

**FEM!HARRY**

**ABUSED/NEGELCTED!HARRY (Which I must add is techinically canon)**

**MINIPULATIVE DUMBLEDORE (Some bashing, but he isn't dark or evil just old and senile.)**

**POSSIBLE WEASLEY BASHING (Who is still to be decided.)**

**POSSIBLE HERMIONE BASHING (Not a whole lot since I love Hermione to bits)**

Anyways, enjoy the story,

_Parker_**  
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	3. Dreamscape

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once. Some of the chapter is taken from the book but it is not a complete rehash of the book as it'll get more AU as we go on. Please tell me what you think!****

****Sorry it's so short, the next chapter will be longer, though it may take longer.  
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><p><strong>Rumor Has It.<strong>

**Chapter 1: Dreamscape.**

"_You attacked the Bones family," Meredith said as she trailed a hand over a few books on the shelves she stood in front of. It had been three days since she'd first been pulled into this dream-scape along with Voldemort. It confused her, but it didn't seem to bother the Dark Lord much. He usually sat in his chair and read or at a desk in in one area of the room and went over paper work. She hadn't even realized Dark Lord's did paper work. _

"_I did," he said looking up from his book. "I wasn't aware the old man was giving you news on my actions." _

_She snorted as she turned. "He doesn't. Just because you don't actively venture to send me visions anymore doesn't mean I don't see into your mind at times. I didn't see much, just that you killed Amelia Bones." _

"_Odd, I had thought I had closed the link for good," he said. "Why don't you read something Potter, your moving around constantly is getting on my nerves." _

"_Forgive me your lordship, I was unaware," she said smirking mischievously. She bit the inside of her cheek as his red eyes caught her green and hazel ones. _

"_You're asking me to kill you aren't you Meredith?" he asked standing. She took in gulp of air as he approached her, standing close enough she could smell some sort of cologne on him, her back against the book shelf. _

"_Careful Mer, your Slytherin side is showing," he whispered as he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and moved away, leaving her to breathe out and glare at his back. _

"_Have you found out why we are here Tom?" she asked. _

_She'd abandoned calling him Voldemort the second day she'd arrived, citing that it was to much of a mouthful and she liked his birth name more. He'd glared and tried to crucio her only to find neither had their wands or seemed to be able to pull off strong magic in their minds, or wherever they were. The only thing she had found of interest was a book on mind magic and animagus transformations. _

"_I have surmised it probably has to do with our connection, but I am unaware of how to stop it or disconnect it, so to say." _

"_So we're stuck here," she said and he turned and shot her a annoyed yet amused look. _

"_Not even, we'll be able to leave when we wake or haven't you noticed Merry darling?" _

"_For the last time Tom, It's Meredith or Mer," she spat, grabbing the book on animagus transformations and stalking over to her usual chair, and crossing her legs as she sat. A habit she'd picked up from living with Aunt Petunia for fifteen years. "Only my friends can call me Merry, as much as I detest the name." _

"_Ah, yes the name your cousin gave you isn't it?" Tom asked and smirked at the girl's obviously ruffled anger. He'd been in her mind enough in the past to know the muggles she lived with where little better then the ones who'd taken care of him at the orphanage, or the children there either. It was rather eery how similar their lives were, or more so their childhoods, or lack there of. _

"_Can you help me with this?" Meredith said a moment latter shaking him from his thoughts. He raised an eyebrow in surprise as he saw the book she was showing him and he smirked, leaning against his chair calmly. _

"_Now why would I teach you something you could use against me someday Meredith?" To his surprise he didn't get the response he was expecting. _

"_Maybe I don't want to fight you Tom." _

_Then they woke up._

**xXx**

"Girl! Get down here and make breakfast," Aunt Petunia yelled and Meredith groaned as she rolled over.

"UP!" She lazily got up, running a hand through her hair as she stood. Over the summer she'd grown a little, from barely five foot too five foot five, which she supposed hadn't been over night but it sure had felt like it. After slipping on some more fitted jeans she'd borrowed from Hermione and never got around to giving back, a green sweater with a pink _'M'_ on it, the newest Weaselly sweater from Molly last year and some socks she left her room.

Breakfast was a silent experience, the Dursley's got eggs, bacon, toast and pancakes while she was allowed two pieces of toast and a bit of scrambled egg to do her the rest of the day. It didn't matter to her, she was used to it by now. Not to mention she had some other food in her room, mostly snack foods that wouldn't go bad which her friends sent her that she hid under the loose floorboard with her wand, and other valuable possessions.

For a moment over breakfast she wondered if she should tell Dumbledore about her dreams, or meetings with Tom – Voldemort...she shook her head to clear it as she finished her slightly burnt toast. She waited a few more minutes for the Dursley's to finish and rolled her eyes at the predictable sentence her aunt gave her to clean up the kitchen to pristine condition. She longed to tell her aunt to blow it out her ass but she didn't dare. No need to tempt Vernon or Dudley into their favorite pastime and she'd rather like dinner tonight.

The day was boring and blurred together. She worked in the garden and repainted the shed – not that she hadn't been forced to paint it just last year – and then go to the grocery store miles away to pick up necessities Aunt Petunia couldn't ask Vernon to get on his way home. That in itself took her four hours to do, and that was because she'd learned a few handy shortcuts through the years. At precisely five o'clock she was hurried into the kitchen to make dinner and even instructed on a nice desert her aunt wanted made – it seemed Uncle Vernon was expected to get a raise if all went right today. Hopefully all went right, because if something went wrong it was always her fault.

xXx

"_Back again I see," Tom said as she found herself once again in Riddle Manor. She looked at him and sighed, before sitting defiantly in her chair. How she'd come to consider it her chair instead of a chair she still wasn't sure but this was getting ridiculous. _

"_Why is it you're always asleep when I am?" she asked and Tom snorted. _

"_Don't be ridiculous Potter, even Dark Lord's such as myself sleep. It is eleven at night, I can't help it if you sleep in patterns similar to my own." Meredith glared before looking at the book sitting on the table beside her. It was the one she'd ask Tom about and she picked it up. _

"_You want to be an animagus?" he asked and she looked at him before nodding. _

"_Sirius," her breathe caught in her throat before she continued. "He was teaching me a bit, how to clear my mind of thought and locate my magical core in order to find my animal...but uh...he never got around to teaching me anymore before the ministry battle." _

"_For what it is worth Meredith, I did not sanction Sirius Black's death. No, that was Bellatrix's doing, and she was punished for getting distracted from the goal to take care of petty grudges." _

"_Grudges?" she asked looking at him confused. _

"_They were cousins as you well know, back in the first war there was a battle your parents and Sirius Black participated in. Your mother was more caught up then anything, I believe she was already pregnant with you. Unknown to many Bellatrix was also expecting a child." Tom looked at her as he spoke, making sure she was listening she suspected. _

"_It was Bella's own fault really for being reckless, your mother was safely hidden after only a few moments but Bellatrix continued to fight. A spell, borderline dark hit her, shot by Black from what __Rodolphus_ _and Bella say and she lost the baby. Healers told them the spell had not only killed the child, a son it seemed, but also made her barren. I suspect that was why she seemed so focused on Sirius that night." _

_Meredith blanched, the thought of something like that happening sounded terrible and it must have broken Bellatrix but she could not feel more then fleeting pity for the woman who'd tortured Neville's parents into insanity in front of him – a mere baby at the time – and killed the only father/brother figure she'd ever had. _

"_Now Meredith, you'd couldn't be feeling sorry for Bella, surely?" Tom asked with a smirk and chuckled at the glare she returned. _

"_No, like you said she shouldn't have been there if she was with child," Meredith said bitterly. "It's her own fault for being foolish." _

"_Now your sounding like me," he said. "Whatever would Dumbledore think." _

"_I thought we'd been over this before, I don't care what he thinks," she said shrugging and opening the book. She began read after a moment and several seconds latter a shadow obscured her view. She looked up and her gaze locked with his. _

"_I'll teach you how to become an animagus, but you'll need to brew a potion to find your animal," he said and then smirked. "If you have one that is." _

"_Just tell me what I have to do," she said and he took the book out of her hands, laying it on the table before turning and walking to the book shelves. _

"_First you memorize the potion," he said before turning to look at her, a new book in hand. "Don't look so glum Meredith. It's not like you made a deal with the devil." _


	4. Birthday Blues

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once. Some of the chapter is taken from the book but it is not a complete rehash of the book as it'll get more AU as we go on. Please tell me what you think!****

****Sorry it took so long, I had a lot of problems with this chapter yesterday. but here it is.  
><strong>**

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><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 3: Birthday Blues. **

"_Well I suppose I should say happy birthday then," Tom said a day latter, the night before Dumbledore was to arrive. She looked up from the meditative state she had been in for almost thirty minutes now and raised an eyebrow. _

"_Are you going soft now Voldemort?" she asked and he glared at her but it seemed halfhearted. _

"_It amuses me to see that everyone seems to believe me so inhuman that I can not have feelings?" He chuckled as he walked forward to stand in front of the smaller redhead. "I may be less then human but I still hold a heart." _

"_Hmmm, maybe. Prove it," Meredith said and stood. To her shock Tom did not get angry, he smirked and stood closer, trailing the back of his hand down her cheek as their eyes stayed locked together. Red met green and hazel, though she had to crane her neck to do so. _

"_You are rather beautiful Meredith," he whispered before stepping back. "Have you found your animal?" Meredith looked at Tom with wide eyes, confused and annoyed at the same time. _

"_Is this some sort of game? Are you bi-polar, because this roller-coaster of emotions you keep throwing at me is giving me freaking whiplash!" Tom chuckled. _

"_You make it sound as if you have feelings for me little redbird," he said and she narrowed her eyes. _

"_Don't call me that, not a bird," she snapped. "And stop changing the subject." _

"_So you do then? Find me attractive, desirable?" _

"_You are..." Meredith breathed out harshly, her teeth clenched together before she shook her head. "A cat."_

"_Excuse me?" Meredith smirked, it wasn't everyday you were able to throw a Dark Lord off his game. _

"_My form, it's a cat. A reddish-brown Bengal cat with my eyes." Tom nodded. _

"_Convenient, not unexpected really," Tom said and she rolled her eyes. _

"_Whatever. By the way," she said looking over at him and smiling slightly. "Thanks." _

Meredith woke with a start from pecking at her window. Looking she saw a black owl with large greenish eyes – something she was unaware a owl could have – outside the window with a medium size package and letter. Getting up she quickly opened it and allowed the regal looking bird inside.

"You're a pretty bird aren't you?" she asked petting the bird almost hesitantly. Hedwig looked at her from her cage and hooted angrily and she chuckled as she untied the package and took the letter from the top.

"Don't be such a drama queen Hedi, you know you're my favorite pretty bird," she said and opened the letter and raised an eyebrow at the familiar almost spidery script.

**Meredith,**

**Please accept the gift for your birthday, I can assure you it is not cursed or a portkey of any kind. The first book is the same one you picked out upon seeking my help to be an animagus. The other is the potions book I had you memorize the animagus potion from and finally the last is a Dark Arts book for beginners. It is not legal so it has heavy charms on it so it appears to be a simple history book. Do not let the old man find it since he may be able to see through it and anyone will know once they open the book to read. **

_**Lord Voldemort.**_

To say she was shocked was an understatement, sure there were no pleasantries, the letter was straight to the point but it confused and excited her to know Tom had taken the time to get her a gift and write the letter. Her mind froze there. She couldn't possibly be starting to like the Dark Lord, could she? And when had she begun thinking of him as the Dark Lord?

With a shake of her head Meredith put the letter aside and opened the package. Sure enough inside were the three promised books, copies which while pristine had obviously once belonged to him.

"I am so confused Hedwig," Meredith spoke with a sigh and after a moment she pulled out a quill and some ink – a dark green as it so happened – and began her reply. It was only polite after all.

**Tom,**

**Thank you for the books. I don't know why you sent them, this whole thing with the dreams is confusing. More confusing is the fact we haven't tried to kill each other yet. Personally, I want nothing to do with the prophecy, or killing you. **

**I guess I'll see you when we sleep next,**

**Sincerely,** she scratched that out after a moment and a line below wrote;

** _Meredith._ **

The letter was longer then she meant it to be but it would do. After a minute the black owl was once more flying , but in the other direction, back to it's master. She realized she hadn't asked it's name and Tom had not given it, but then had she really expected it to?

Sighing – something she seemed to be doing a lot these days – Meredith got up and taking her books with her she plopped down on her old bed. Leaning up against the pillow and wall behind the bed she opened the animagus book, if she wanted to transform before the year was over she would need to read the book as precisely as possibly and practice.

**xXx**

The next day went by like a blur, the Dursley's mostly kept to themselves, with the exception of breakfast, lunch and dinner. She spent most the day reading through the three books, taking interest in a potion which would correct eyesight. The thought of not having to wear the contacts she'd had for years which corrected themselves to her prescription automatically would be a godsend. She'd always hated her contacts – the only nice thing the Dursley's had ever done for her and that wasn't out of the goodness of their heart but a wish for her to not be half-blind and trip and break her neck – they made her eyes feel heavy and were murder to take care of.

The Potion was thankfully straight forward, and she'd been able to sneak into the shed to make it after lunch. It would take all day and hopefully no one would come in, but the chances of Vernon or Dudley coming in was very small. By seven, just after dinner it was finished and she was free to take it. As nasty as it was it did it's job properly and she happily tossed the contacts in the trash on her way inside.

By ten that night she was asleep.

**xXx**

"_I'm surprised to see you here tonight," Tom said as she turned in the spot she'd appeared. She looked at him and shrugged. _

"_I don't exactly control this." _

"_True enough," he said with a shrug. "I got your letter, you are welcome." _

"_Are you getting soft Lord Voldemort?" Meredith asked with a smirk but he just smirked back and chuckled. _

"_hmmm. I believe you've asked me that before." Meredith raised her eyebrow at the non-answer. _

"_How did you get past the wards? I mean your owl," she asked and Tom's lips twitched into a sort of smile. _

"_The package and letter had no dangerous charms on them and the owl had no ill will towards you. You didn't think the wards would keep something as simple as birthday wishes out did you?" Meredith rolled her eyes. _

"_Thank you for the gift, the potions book came in really handy. I was able to fix my eyes," she said smiling and Tom looked at her slightly confused. _

"_Your eyes, I was unaware you had any problems with them," he said and Meredith smirked. _

"_Contacts," she said. "My relatives have only ever done one thing for me and that was to get me contacts. Very expensive ones at that, but I've never liked them, they made my eyes heavy and ache. So the potion was great." _

"_I see, and Severus seems to think you have no skill in Potions." She laughed. _

"_Snape would be a good teacher if he actually enjoyed teaching what he does and didn't constantly abuse his students emotionally and verbally. It's a surprise anyone could work in the atmosphere he sets up." _

"_I suppose." Tom looked at the young woman in front of him, it amazed him how he hadn't realized just how pretty, beautiful some would say, Meredith Potter truly was. _

_The way her hair fell around her like a red halo of what seemed like blood and fire in the proper light. The way she seemed to have either green or hazel eyes one way but when she turned to face you you realized she had one hazel and one green eye. It was unique, something he'd never seen before but then he hadn't bothered looking to see what color eyes his victims had before he killed them. _

"_In your letter, you mentioned the prophecy," he said and Meredith turned to him with wide eyes. "What did you mean? Do you know what it said?" _

"_I do..."_

The minute hand on the alarm clock reached the number twelve and, at that precise moment, the street-lamp outside the window went out.

Meredith awoke as though the sudden darkness were an alarm.

Hastily she shot out of bed, stubbing her toe on the desk as she did she practically hoped over and pressed her nose against the window and squinted down at the pavement. A tall figure in a long, billowing cloak was walking up the garden path.

"Shit!" she exclaimed softly and she jumped up as though she had received an electric shock, knocked over her chair, and started snatching anything and everything within reach from the floor and throwing it into the trunk. Most her books and everything that was school related was already in there. Then as she lobbed a set of robes, two spellbooks, and a packet of clasps across the room, the doorbell rang. Downstairs in the living room his Uncle Vernon shouted, "Who the blazes is calling at this lime of night?"

Meredith froze with her new books in one hand and a pair of trainers in the other. She had completely forgotten to warn the Dursleys that Dumbledore might be coming. Not that she cared, the look on their faces may be worth the potential punishment she'd suffer next summer. Then again, she shook her head and throwing her hair into a sloppy high ponytail and slipped out of the thin pajama pants and into one of the few pair of fitting jeans she owned. Maybe she'd order a whole new wardrobe over the summer or even from school – Hermione had mentioned owl orders in many of her letters.

Feeling both panicky and close to laughter, she clambered over the trunk and wrenched open her bedroom door in time to hear a deep voice say, "Good evening. You must be Mr. Dursley. I daresay Meredith has told you I would be coming for her tonight?"

She winced. She really didn't want to hear Dumbledore's voice, the lies and half-truths he'd told her were still rather fresh for her. Hell, she'd rather it be a horde a death eaters and Tom then him right now. She hit herself though, she should have known he meant what he'd said in his letter and would come, but it might not have mattered since she'd forgotten to be expecting him, much less telling the Dursleys.

Meredith ran down the stairs two at a time, coming to an abrupt halt several steps from the bottom, as long experience had taught her to remain out of arm's reach of her uncle whenever possible. The fact Uncle Vernon was turning purple by now in his anger let her know she was making the right decision. There in the doorway, across from her relatives, all but Dudley, stood a tall, thin man with waist-length silver hair and beard. Half-moon spectacles were perched on his crooked nose, and he was wearing a long black traveling cloak and a pointed hat.

Vernon Dursley, whose mustache was quite as bushy as Dumbledore's, though black, and who was wearing a puce dressing gown, was staring at the visitor as though he could not believe his tiny eyes as he face displayed a lovely prune color. Meredith wasn't even aware it could be that color.

"Judging by your look of stunned disbelief, Meredith did not warn you that I was coming," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "However, let us assume that you have invited me warmly into your house. It is unwise to linger overlong on doorsteps in these troubled times."

He stepped over the threshold and closed the front door behind him, his cherry face and twinkling eyes the most prominent feature on the old man. She felt a twinge in her scar as she thought this, and a emotion she was sure was not her own. Hate, annoyance...a bit of anger. Seemed Tom didn't like the interruption to their conversation, she thought with a smug light smirk.

"It is a long time since my last visit," said Dumbledore, peering down his crooked nose at Uncle Vernon. "I must say, your agapanthus are flourishing."

Vernon Dursley said nothing at all, his face now receding to a pale porridge white she'd only seen once before and that had been when her first letter arrived. Meredith did not doubt that speech would return to him, and soon — the vein pulsing in his uncles temple was reaching danger point once again, obviously he'd been given enough time to cancel out the pale frightened reaction and skip right back to rage — but something about Dumbledore seemed to have robbed him temporarily of breath. It might have been the blatant wizardishness of his appearance, but it might, too, have been that even Uncle Vernon could sense that here was a man whom it would be very difficult to bully.

"Ah, good evening Meredith," said Dumbledore, looking up at her through his half-moon glasses with a most satisfied expression. "Excellent, excellent."

These words seemed to rouse Uncle Vernon. It was clear that as far as he was concerned, any man who could look at Meredith and say "excellent" was a man with whom he could never see eye to eye. It was obvious to everyone that Vernon thought Meredith would be just like her mother, a whore who ran off with a wastrel to end up pregnant and dead within the year, and push some orphan who'd one day be just like her off on well rounded relatives. Meredith rolled her eyes mentally, not wishing Dumbledore to wonder or think her ungrateful to him. Not that it really mattered to her that much, but she never was the best with grudges against those she cared about either.

"I don't mean to be rude —" he began, in a tone that threatened rudeness in every syllable.

"— yet, sadly, accidental rudeness occurs alarmingly often," Dumbledore finished the sentence gravely. "Best to say nothing at all, my dear man. Ah, and this must be Petunia."

The kitchen door had opened, and there stood Meredith's aunt, wearing rubber gloves and a housecoat over her nightdress, clearly halfway through her usual pre-bedtime wipe-down of all the kitchen surfaces. Her rather horsey face registered nothing but shock, but recognition. It suddenly occurred to her that her aunt had probably seen, meet or heard of Albus Dumbledore before, probably all three.

"Albus Dumbledore," said Dumbledore, when Uncle Vernon failed to effect an introduction. "We have corresponded, of course." Meredith thought this an odd way of reminding Aunt Petunia that he had once sent her an exploding letter, but Aunt Petunia did not challenge the term. She was oddly quiet at least for the moment.

"What do you want?" she spat a moment latter but Dumbledore either didn't hear or didn't bother to acknowledge her. Instead he turned and smile slightly before speaking.

"And this must be your son, Dudley?"

Dudley had at that moment peered round the living room door, his large, blond head rising out of the stripy collar of his pajamas looked oddly disembodied, his mouth gaping in astonishment and fear. His watery blue eyes turned to meet her mismatched ones and she wondered for a moment if he was asking her silently for her help. She almost snorted out loud, any of the Dursley's would have to beg before she lifted a wand to help them. Dumbledore waited a moment or two, apparently to see whether any of the Dursleys were going to say anything, but as the silence stretched on he smiled.

"Shall we assume that you have invited me into your sitting room?"

Dudley scrambled out of the way as Dumbledore passed him. Meredith jumped the last few stairs and followed Dumbledore, who had settled himself in the armchair nearest the fire and was taking in the surroundings with an expression of benign interest. He looked quite extraordinarily out of place.

"Aren't — aren't we leaving, sir?" Meredith asked as she stood in the room, she wasn't sure but she thought she saw Aunt Petunia shoot her a look of thanks for her initiative to get out of the Dursley house.

"Yes, indeed we are, but there are a few matters we need to discuss first," said Dumbledore. "And I would prefer not to do so in the open. We shall trespass upon your aunt and uncle's hospitality only a little longer."

Her relatives winced and she sighed as Vernon turned red before asking, his eyes wide in his anger.

"You will, will you?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore simply, "I shall."

He drew his wand so rapidly that Meredith barely saw it; with a casual flick, the sofa zoomed forward and knocked the knees out from under all three of the Dursleys so that they collapsed upon it in a heap. Another flick of the wand and the sofa zoomed back to its original position. She briefly wondered if Dumbledore was merely doing it to instal a sense of fear in the three muggles.

If so she had to applaud the old man for such a Slytherin move. For a split second she worried about her own mind that she'd wish to applaud anyone for being Slytherin, but shook it away. The Hat had said she'd find her true friends and make her way to greatness in the snake pit.

"We may as well be comfortable," said Dumbledore pleasantly.

As he replaced his wand in his pocket, Meredith saw that his hand was blackened and shriveled; it looked as though his flesh had been burned away. In that moment she forgot all her animosity towards the headmaster and with worried eyes she asked.

"Sir — what happened to your —?"

"Later, Meredith," interrupted Dumbledore. "Please sit down."

Meredith took one last look at Dumbledore and then her relatives before sitting in the remaining armchair.

"I would assume that you were going to offer me refreshment," Dumbledore said to Uncle Vernon, "but the evidence so far suggests that that would be optimistic to the point of foolishness."

A third twitch of the wand, and a dusty bottle and five glasses appeared in midair. The bottle tipped and poured a generous measure of honey-colored liquid into each of the glasses, which then floated to each person in the room.

"Madam Rosmertas finest oak-matured mead," said Dumbledore, raising his glass to Meredith, who caught hold of her own and sipped. She had never tasted anything like it before, but enjoyed it immensely, much more then the firewhiskey smuggled into the dorm every year – though technically it was the boys dorm since the girls weren't all that into parties and alcohol. The Dursleys, after quick, scared looks at one another, tried to ignore their glasses completely, a difficult feat, as they were nudging them gently on the sides of their heads.

Meredith could not suppress a suspicion that Dumbledore was rather enjoying himself and was forced to swallow her laughter at the whole situation.

"Well, Meredith," said Dumbledore, turning toward her, "a difficulty has arisen which I hope you will be able to solve for us. By us, I mean the Order of the Phoenix. But first I must tell you that Sirius's will was discovered a week ago and that he left you everything he owned."

"His will? But why wasn't I told, or owled about it? If his will was read I should have been there," Meredith said, her eyes narrowed at him. He sighed, he felt bad for not letting her come to the reading but he honestly thought she'd had enough adventure and reminders of her lost. Not to mention it was much to dangerous for her to wonder to far from the wards.

Over on the sofa, Uncle Vernon's head turned, but Meredith did not look at him.

"I believed it much to dangerous for you to wonder far from home Merry," Dumbledore said kindly but did not miss the slight wince at the nickname given to her by her own parents – more precisely James and Sirius since Lily had preferred her full name apposed to the nickname – had given her as a babe.

"You could have owled me though," she muttered. "I had a right to know he even had a will."

Dumbledore sighed. "I apologize, you are correct. I should have contacted you before the reading to at least let you know."

"Okay," she said finding nothing else that fit the situation. What could she possibly say to that? She didn't want to create a scene in front of the Dursleys after all.

"This is, fairly straightforward," Dumbledore went on. "You add a reasonable amount of gold to your account at gringotts, and you inherit all of Sirius's personal possessions as he was the last male heir of the Black Family and as such the head he made you his heir sense he himself had no children. The slightly problematic part of the legacy —"

"Her godfather's dead?" said Uncle Vernon loudly from the sofa. Dumbledore and Meredith both turned to look at him. The glass of mead was now knocking quite insistently on the side of Vernon's head; he attempted to beat it away. "He's dead? Her godfather?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore. He did not ask Meredith why she had not confided in the Dursleys, but she suspected he already knew or at least realized that they were not a close nit as he may have liked or that the Dursley's simply did not care.

"Our problem," he continued to Meredith, as if there had been no interruption, "is that Sirius also left you number twelve, Grimmauld Place."

"But you said I was his heir," she said. She knew a little about Pureblood ways and traditions thanks to a book she'd found in the library in second year but she hadn't read much of it. She now wished she had, she should have after all her father's family was a noble and ancient house to hear Neville say it. She wasn't too sure what the Noble and Ancient part meant since fifth year hadn't been the most educational of her years at Hogwarts.

"Hmm, yes but until you turn seventeen you can not claim ladyship or what being heir to the Black and Potter family comes with," Dumbledore admits before sighing, rubbing his temple with his healthy hand. "I am sorry Meredith, I should have told you all this before now. If you had been a boy this would be different but as a female you don't have the same rights, hopefully though Sirius was cunning enough to push it past that lump in the road."

"Wait, she's been left a house?" said Uncle Vernon greedily, his small eyes narrowing, but nobody answered him. Meredith could practically hear the lust in his voice and wanted to roll her eyes but held back. After all he'd never get his hands on it, laws forbade muggles and squibs from attaining fortunes from Pureblood families if there were no other heirs alive.

"You can keep using it as headquarters," said Meredith finally. "I don't care. You can have it, I don't really want it." Meredith never wanted to set foot in number twelve, Grimmauld Place again if she could help it. She thought she would be haunted forever by the memory of Sirius prowling its dark musty rooms alone, imprisoned within the place he had wanted so desperately to leave. She could understand that, after she came of age she would rather see Privet Drive burned to cinders so she'd never have to be darkened by it's unhappy memories of unloved abuse and neglect.

"That is generous, dear girl," said Dumbledore. "We have, however, vacated the building temporarily."

"Why?"

"Well," said Dumbledore, ignoring the mutterings of Uncle Vernon, who was now being rapped continuously over the head by the persistent glass of mead, and finally Meredith rolled her eyes got up and took the glass out of the air before returning to her seat. Dumbledore watched amused as the girl crossed her legs and with a sigh downed half the glass. Obviously the whole situation was stressing her out more then he expected, and like her mother before her she drank a bit more then she mightily should when her nerves were wreaked.

"Black family tradition decreed that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next male with the name of 'Black.' Sirius was the very last of the line as his younger brother, Regulus, predeceased him and both were childless. While his will makes it perfectly plain that he wants you to have the house, it is nevertheless possible that some spell or enchantment has been set upon the place to ensure that it cannot be owned by anyone other than a pureblood."

A vivid image of the shrieking, spitting portrait of Sirius's mother that hung in the hall of number twelve, Grimmauld Place flashed into Meredith's mind. "I bet there has," she said.

"But how can I get anything without black blood..." Dumbledore smiled sadly.

"All Purebloods are related one way or another Meredith, Sirius was your father's second cousin I believe, your grandmother Dorea was a Black before marriage and Sirius' Mother's aunt. So you do have Black blood, through your grandmother."

"Why didn't he tell me?" she muttered.

"It could be that he assumed you knew or he just didn't want to bring up memories," said Dumbledore. " But we digress, if such an enchantment on the manor exists, then the ownership of the house is most likely to pass to the eldest of Sirius's living relatives, which would mean his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange."

Without realizing what she was doing, Meredith sprang to her feet; the contents of her second glass sloshing dangerously close to the edge of the glass. She saw Aunt Petunia wince as she thought of what he had said. Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius's killer, inherit his house?

"No," she said. "Over my dead body."

"Well lets not get overzealous, obviously we would prefer that she didn't get it either," said Dumbledore calmly. "The situation is fraught with complications. We do not know whether the enchantments we ourselves have placed upon it, for example, making it Unplottable, will hold now that ownership has passed from Sirius's hands. It might be that Bellatrix will arrive on the doorstep at any moment. Naturally we had to move out until such time as we have clarified the position."

"But how are you going to find out if I'm allowed to own it?" Meredith downed the last of the mead and grabbed Dudley's glass out of the air, rolling her eyes at her cousins squeak and Dumbledore chuckled briefly before answering.

"Fortunately," said Dumbledore, "there is a simple test."

He placed his empty glass on a small table beside his chair, but before he could do anything else, Uncle Vernon shouted, "Will you get this ruddy thing off my wife?"

Meredith looked around; all three of the Dursleys were cowering with their arms over their heads as the remaining glass bounced up and down on their skulls, their contents flying everywhere. She snorted as she savored the last of her third glass before putting it down. She felt a bit better, maybe a bit tipsy but she'd found she could hold her liquor quite well over the years of parties in the Gryffindor common room. Not that she was one to have more then one or two unless nerve wreaked like she was now.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said Dumbledore politely, and he raised his wand again. All glasses vanished. "But it would have been better manners to drink it, you know."

It looked as though Uncle Vernon was bursting with any number of unpleasant retorts, but he merely shrank back into the cushions with Aunt Petunia and Dudley and said nothing, keeping his small piggy eyes on Dumbledore's wand.

"You see," Dumbledore said, turning back to Meredith and again speaking as though Uncle Vernon had not uttered a single word, "if you have indeed inherited the house, you have also inherited —"

He flicked his wand for a fifth time. There was a loud crack, and a house-elf appeared,

with a snout for a nose, giant bat's ears, and enormous bloodshot eyes, crouching on the Dursleys' shag carpet and covered in grimy rags. Aunt Petunia let out a hair-raising shriek; nothing this filthy had entered her house in living memory – that she knew of, Meredith wondered what her reaction to Hedwig's bounties would be?

Dudley drew his large, bare, pink feet off the floor and sat with them raised almost above his head, as though he thought the creature might run up his pajama trousers, as amusing as that might be and Uncle Vernon bellowed, "What the hell is that?"

"Kreacher," finished Dumbledore.

"Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't!" croaked the house-elf, quite as loudly as Uncle Vernon, stamping his long, gnarled feet and pulling his ears. "Kreacher belongs to Miss Bellatrix, oh yes, Kreacher belongs to the Blacks, Kreacher wants his new mistress, Kreacher won't go to the Potter brat, Kreacher won't, won't, won't —"

"As you can see, Meredith," said Dumbledore loudly, over Kreacher's continued croaks of "wont, won't, won't," "Kreacher is showing a certain reluctance to pass into your ownership."

"I don't care," said Meredith again, looking with disgust at the writhing, stamping house-elf. "I don't want him."

"Won't, won't, won't, won't —"

"You would prefer him to pass into the ownership of Bellatrix Lestrange? Bearing in mind that he has lived at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix for the past year?"

"Won't, won't, won't, won't —"

Meredith stared at Dumbledore. She knew that Kreacher could not be permitted to go and live with Bellatrix Lestrange, but the idea of owning him, of having responsibility for the creature that had betrayed Sirius, was repugnant.

"Won't, won't, won't, WON'T!" Kreacher's voice had risen to a scream.

"Shut up Kreacher, before I decide to cut out your tongue and force feed it to you!" she snapped suddenly, glaring at the vermin that dared call itself a house elf. She ignored the disappointed look Dumbledore shot her in favor of watching the house elf.

It looked for a moment as though Kreacher was going to choke. He grabbed his throat, his mouth still working furiously, his eyes bulging. After a few seconds of frantic gulping, he threw himself face forward onto the carpet (Aunt Petunia whimpered) and beat the floor with his hands and feet, giving himself over to a violent, but entirely silent, tantrum.

"Get up," she snapped and in an almost robotic manner the house elf did.

"Nasty half-blood mistress," Kreacher grumbled and she narrowed her eyes.

"Show some respect, you at least owe me that after your betrayal." Kreacher looked at her with narrowed eyes but had no choice but to agree.

"Nasty mistress is not as good as light sheep would think," he muttered but Meredith and Dumbledore both ignored him and Dumbledore clapped his hands gleefully.

"Well, that simplifies matters, though you could be a bit nicer to him I believe." said Dumbledore cheerfully. She ignored this, she could be but Kreacher did not deserve the respect or kindness. Not until she earned it at any rate. "It means that Sirius knew what he was doing. You are the rightful owner of number twelve, Grimmauld Place and of Kreacher."

"Do I — do I have to keep him with me?" Meredith asked, aghast, as Kreacher thrashed around at his feet.

"Not if you don't want to," said Dumbledore. "If I might make a suggestion, you could send him to Hogwarts to work in the kitchen there. In that way, the other house-elves could keep an eye on him."

"Yeah," said Meredith in relief, "yeah, I'll do that. Kreacher — I want you to go to Hogwarts and work in the kitchens there with the other house-elves. Do not disrespect them, you are to listen to them and to stay in the castle at all times. I catch you trying to sneak around and you'll join the other elves in Grimmauld place prematurely, as a free elf."

Kreacher, who was now lying flat on his back with his arms and legs in the air, gave Meredith one upside-down look of deepest loathing and, almost a look of respect.

"Nasty mistress is cruel, she is," he said, though it almost sounded like a comment and with another loud crack, vanished.

"Good," said Dumbledore though he clearly didn't like her means of interacting with the house elf he said nothing more on the subject. "There is also the matter of the hippogriff, Buckbeak. Hagrid has been looking after him since Sirius died, but Buckbeak is yours now, so if you would prefer to make different arrangements —"

"No," said Meredith at once, "he can stay with Hagrid. I think Buckbeak would prefer that."

"Hagrid will be delighted," said Dumbledore, smiling. "He was thrilled to see Buckbeak again. Incidentally, we have decided, in the interests of Buckbeak's safety, to rechristen him 'Witherwings' for the time being, though I doubt that the Ministry would ever guess he is the hippogriff they once sentenced to death. Now, Meredith, is your trunk packed?"

"Erm..."

"Doubtful that I would turn up?" Dumbledore suggested shrewdly.

"I'll just go and — er — finish off," said Meredith hastily, It took her a little over ten minutes to track down everything she needed and to hide the three new books, especially the not so legal one at the bottom of her trunk; at last she had managed to extract her Invisibility Cloak from under the bed, screwed the top back on her jar of color-change ink, and forced the lid of her trunk shut on her cauldron. Then, heaving her trunk in one hand and holding Hedwig's cage in the other, she made her way back downstairs,

In the living room Dumbledore was humming quietly, apparently quite at his ease, but the atmosphere was thicker than cold custard, and Meredith did not dare look at the Dursleys as she said, "Professor — I'm ready now."

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Just one last thing, then." And he turned to speak to the Dursleys once more.

"As you will no doubt be aware, Meredith comes of age in a years time —"

"No," said Aunt Petunia, speaking for the first time since Dumbledore's arrival.

"I'm sorry?" said Dumbledore politely.

"No, she doesn't. The girl is but a month younger then Dudley, and Dudders doesn't turn eighteen until the year after next."

"Ah," said Dumbledore pleasantly, she thought he might be impressed Petunia knew when she was born at all. Meredith thought it a waste of time really. "but in the Wizarding world, we come of age at seventeen."

Uncle Vernon muttered, "Preposterous, freak behavior no doubt." but Dumbledore ignored him,

"Now, as you already know, the wizard called Lord Voldemort has returned to this country. The Wizarding community is currently in a state of open warfare. Meredith, whom Lord Voldemort has already attempted to kill on a number of occasions, is in even greater danger now than the day when I left her here upon your doorstep fifteen years ago, with a letter explaining about her parents' murder and expressing the hope that you would care for her as though she were your own daughter."

Dumbledore paused, and although his voice remained light and calm, and he gave no obvious sign of anger, Meredith felt a kind of chill emanating from him and noticed that the Dursleys drew very slightly closer together. Amusing as it was she didn't really think he had much room to complain. He had left her here after all, fully aware how Petunia felt about her sister and magic. She wondered if he knew the extent of the torment she endured here?

"You did not do as I asked. You have never treated Meredith as a daughter. She has known nothing but neglect and often cruelty at your hands. The best that can be said is that she has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you." She smothered her smirk of amusement behind her now free hand, Hedwig and her trunk were in the hall waiting.

Both Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon looked around instinctively, as though expecting to see someone other than Dudley squeezed between them.

"Us — mistreat Dudders? What d'you —?" began Uncle Vernon furiously, but Dumbledore raised his hand for silence, a silence which fell as though he had struck Uncle Vernon dumb.

"The magic I evoked fifteen years ago means that Meredith has powerful protection while she can still call this house 'home.' However miserable she has been here, however unwelcome, however badly treated, you have at least, grudgingly, allowed her houseroom. This magic will cease to operate the moment that Meredith turns seventeen; in other words, at the moment she becomes a woman. I ask only this: that you allow Meredith to return, once more, to this house, before her seventeenth birthday, which will ensure that the protection continues until that time."

"Unfortunately for me," she muttered, wishing nothing more then to never return to this pit of despair. If Dumbledore heard her he ignored it.

None of the Dursleys said anything. Dudley was frowning slightly, as though he was still trying to work out when he had ever been mistreated. Uncle Vernon looked as though he had something stuck in his throat; Aunt Petunia, however, was oddly flushed.

"Well, Meredith… time for us to be off," said Dumbledore at last, standing up and straightening his long black cloak. "Until we meet again," he said to the Dursleys, who looked as though that moment could wait forever as far as they were concerned, and after doffing his hat, he swept from the room.

"Bye," said Meredith dryly to the Dursleys, and followed Dumbledore, who paused beside Meredith's trunk, upon which Hedwig's cage was perched.

"We do not want to be encumbered by these just now," he said, pulling out his wand again. "I shall send them to the Burrow to await us there. However, I would like you to bring your Invisibility Cloak… just in case."

Meredith extracted her cloak from the trunk with some difficulty, trying not to show Dumbledore the mess within.

When she had stuffed it into an inside pocket of her jacket, Dumbledore waved his wand and the trunk, cage, and Hedwig vanished. Dumbledore then waved his wand again, and the front door opened onto cool, misty darkness.

"And now, Meredith, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."

She forced a groan to remain unheard as she followed the headmaster. Truthfully she didn't want to be doing anything but going to the Burrow and going to sleep. She didn't want to help the old man, she didn't want to do much of anything for a while. They seriously didn't think she'd be over the grieving process completely in little less then two months did they?

Needless to say she hoped this was over soon.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed it, a big part of it was taken from the book but rewritten to suit the story. Added paragraphs, dialog etc. Hopefully it doesn't make anyone scared to continue, because mostly the reason I do that is to keep it canon while being AU at the same time. Next chapter may be a little shorter but promise it won't be a dismally short as the second chapter. **

**Also what did you think of her animagus form? I wanted to be original yet not make it so outrageous like some do. I've seen everything from a spider, to snake, to dragons and phoenixes. I thought being a normal, yet something that had a sly, cunning feisty nature would suit Meredith best. I thought of a doe, and even a larger cat – wildcat, panther – but I didn't want her to see overly powerful. It will take her a while to transform fully as well, right now she knows what her form is. **


	5. Slugs, Weasels, and Dragons, Oh My!

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once. Some of the chapter is taken from the book but it is not a complete rehash of the book as it'll get more AU as we go on. Please tell me what you think!****

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

**Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 4: Slugs, Weasels and Dragons, Oh My!**

When the Headmaster had asked for her help doing something before going to the burrow she hadn't dreamed it would something so...mundane as recruiting a new professor. It didn't take her long after they entered the home to figure out whoever lived here didn't want to be bothered, either that or he was expecting someone else to show up, someone not so friendly. It was also obvious that Dumbledore didn't need her help so much as her fame and scar to real this person in.

Horace Slughorn was definitely not what she was expecting. He was an enormously fat, bald, old man who was massaging his lower belly and squinting up at Dumbledore with an aggrieved and watery eye. His reaction to her had been a bit much, but had been the evidence she needed to be sure of Dumbledore's motives to having her along. It annoyed her he couldn't be straight with her, she was upset with him and didn't trust him as she once had but she'd once thought of him as a grandfather, and part of her still did. All he had to do was ask and she probably would have agreed to come along even if it was to bribe an old colleague into teaching again.

"What of your Professor last year Albus?" Slughorn asked, bringing Meredith back to the two conversing men. The back of her neck tingled a bit and she reached up to rub it, wishing she'd taken the time to take her hair down but she figured she better leave it as it was for now. At least it was out of her way.

"Ah well, Professor Umbridge ran into our centaur herd, I'm afraid she was rather uncouth about the interaction," said Dumbledore. "I think you, Horace, would have known better than to stride into the forest and call a horde of angry centaurs 'filthy half-breeds.'"

Meredith couldn't help but smirk at the memory, even though it was probably rather cruel of her she couldn't help but pity the fact the Centaurs hadn't killed the little demon toad of a woman.

"That's what she did, did she?" said Slughorn with a snort. "Idiotic woman. Never liked her."

Meredith chuckled and both Dumbledore and Slughorn looked round at her and she looked back bashfully.

"Sorry," Meredith said. "It's just — I rather disliked her myself."

Dumbledore stood up rather suddenly.

"Are you leaving?" asked Slughorn at once, looking hopeful and Meredith couldn't find it in her to scorn the man for that. She rather hoped they would be leaving, the sooner she got away from this whole situation the sooner she'd be happy.

"I'd rather say not, I was wondering whether I might use your bathroom Horace," said Dumbledore.

"Oh," said Slughorn, clearly disappointed, before pointing around the corner closest to Meredith. "Second on the left down the hall."

Dumbledore strode from the room. Once the door had closed behind him, there was silence. After a few moments, Slughorn got to his feet but seemed uncertain what to do with himself. He shot a furtive look at Meredith, then crossed to the fire and turned his back on it, warming his large backside. She wondered briefly if her uncle and Dudley would get on with this man since he was roughly a little smaller then Dudley was but then she thought that rather unkind since Slughorn was rather short for a male. Both her uncle and cousin were roughly six foot and much larger then this short man who may have been the same height as her, and she was lucky to be 5'4 ½.

"Don't think I don't know why he's brought you," he said abruptly. Meredith merely looked at Slughorn and then snorted, rather unladylike if she'd care to notice.

"Don't think I don't know either, sir," she said with a slight smile. "I'm not as ignorant to his ways of manipulation as he might think me to be." Slughorn chuckled then, a sharp edge to the sound that made it sound almost bitter. She was a bit uneasy as Slughorn's watery eyes slid over her scar, this time taking in the rest of her face.

"You look very like your parents. Your mother, very much so, but James...you have his sharpness."

"Yeah, I've been told," said Meredith.

She'd seen enough pictures to know that she could have been her mother's mirror image if she'd had softer features instead of the sharper aristocratic ones of a Pureblooded witch – despite her being a Half-Blood it seemed the Potter blood was strong – and two different colored eyes. Though many saw what they wanted, some said she looked just like her father but with her mother's hair and eyes – either over looking or not bothering to notice her right eye was not green at all – and others decided she was the spitting image of her mother, but with one hazel eye like her father's had been.

"Except for your eyes. You've got — -"

"My mother's and father's eyes, yeah." Meredith had heard it so often she found it a bit waring. She didn't want to be constantly reminded of her dead parents or compared to them nonstop. She wanted to be Meredith, just Meredith.

"Hmpf. Yes, well. You shouldn't have favorites as a teacher, of course, but she was one of mine. Your mother," Slughorn added. "Lily Evans. One of the brightest I ever taught. Vivacious, you know. Charming girl. I used to tell her she ought to have been in my House. Very cheeky answers I used to get back too."

"Which was your House?" she asked, genuinely interested.

While she didn't like being compared to them constantly or reminded she found over the years not many wanted to tell her about her mother. It was always about her father, either he was a good for nothing arrogant prankster, or he was the greatest man they'd ever known. A hero, great in transfiguration, a Pureblood heir, great Quidditch player and Head boy. All these things she'd been told but the only thing ever mentioned about her mother was her adept ability with charms, her green eyes and that she'd been Head Girl.

"I was Head of Slytherin," said Slughorn, and Meredith's eyebrows practically disappeared into her hairline. "Oh, now," he went on quickly, seeing the expression on Meredith's face and wagging a stubby ringer at her, "don't go holding that against me! You'll be Gryffindor like her, I suppose? Yes, it usually goes in families. Not always, though. Ever heard of Sirius Black? You must have — been in the papers for the last couple of years — died a few weeks ago —"

It was as though an invisible hand had twisted Meredith's intestines and held them tight, but she shook it and smiled.

"I don't have anything against Slytherins, if you promise not to tell I agree. I think my mother would have been a great Slytherin had the hat placed her there." Slughorn laughed.

"Your mother said something similar to me, you remind me rather lot of her," he said. "You have her smile you know."

"I didn't, actually," she mutters. Slughorn sends her a fleeting pitying look before speaking again.

"Well, anyway, he was a big pal of your father's at school, Sirius was. The whole Black family had been in my House, but Sirius ended up in Gryffindor! Shame — he was a talented boy. I got his brother, Regulus, when he came along, but I'd have liked the set."

He sounded like an enthusiastic collector who had been outbid at auction. Apparently lost in memories, he gazed at the opposite wall, turning idly on the spot to ensure an even heat on his backside.

"Your mother was Muggle-born, of course. Couldn't believe it when I found out. Thought she must have been a Pureblood, she was so good. Though I think many thought the same way, right shock many got when she corrected them. She always did so with pride though."

"One of my best friends is Muggle-born," said Meredith, almost as a afterthought she added. "and she's the best in our year."

"Funny how that sometimes happens, isn't it?" said Slughorn.

"Not really," said Meredith coldly, wondering if he wasn't near as kind as he let on despite his fetish of collecting people – or so she had worked out by the way he talked of students.

Slughorn looked at her in surprise, his eyes wide. "You mustn't think I'm prejudiced!" he said. "No, no, no! Haven't I just said your mother was one of my all-time favorite students? And there was Dirk Cresswell in the year after her too — now Head of the Goblin Liaison Office, of course — another Muggle-born, a very gifted student, and still gives me excellent inside information on the goings-on at Gringotts! Oh, and there were many more as well."

He bounced up and down a little, smiling in a self-satisfied way, and pointed at the many glittering photograph frames on the dresser, each peopled with tiny moving occupants.

"All ex-students, all signed. You'll notice Barnabas Cuffe, editor of the Daily Prophet, he's always interested to hear my take on the day's news. And Ambrosius Flume, of Honeydukes — a hamper every birthday, and all because I was able to give him an introduction to Ciceron Harkisss who gave him his first job! And at the back — you'll see her if you just crane your neck — that's Gwenog Jones, who of course captains the Holyhead Harpies… People are always astonished to hear I'm on first-name terms with the Harpies, and free tickets whenever I want them!"

This thought seemed to cheer him up enormously. Meredith looked over the pictures with critical eyes, stepping forward as she saw one, a group picture, with her mother, but she also recognized a boy who resembled Neville greatly. Both her mother and the boy were the closest to Slughorn, her mother actually stood beside him while the boy stood slightly behind her.

"Your mother, beautiful woman, kind, sweet, never had a bad thing to say about anyone unless they deserved it." Slughorn sighed in what seemed like regret as he noticed the picture she was inspecting. "I'll never forget her, and behind her is Frank Longbottom, I think he had a son before he and his wife, Alice...well they had an unfortunate encounter."

"Neville, they're son," she said. "I go to school with him, he's rather bad with Potions."

"Well, he gets that from his mother. Alice was a Hufflepuff, Frank a Gryffindor but I remember them well. Frank was excellent with Potions, probably because of his gift with plants but poor Alice. She was rather klutzy you see and well, she blew up more cauldrons then I can count."

Meredith smiled, maybe Neville would like to hear that? She doubted his grandmother talked very often about his parents and even if she did she doubted she heard much about his mother or much besides praises and exaggerations about his father. She wasn't trying to be mean but Augusta Longbottom was a hard woman, maybe too hard to have been given custody of Neville.

It was down a few frames that she saw someone that made her freeze and gasp in shock. Slughorn looked at her critically before looking at the frame she stared at. It was obviously older, Slughorn couldn't be much older then his early forties if that and was a bit slimmer, his hair wasn't as thin either. Around him were students but the one closest to him was a boy, no older then Meredith was now with thick wavy black hair and startling charcoal green eyes. At least she could assume they were that color, the picture was in black and white but that wasn't surprising since all photographs were back then.

"Is that Tom Riddle?" she muttered and Slughorn stared at her with gaping mouth and wide eyes.

"How..How did you know that?" he asked. "I dear say Tom's been...well no one has really heard of him since the late to mid fifties."

"Oh, um he had an award at school, and I found mention of him on a list of old head boys. I just didn't realize I'd see him here of all places." Slughorn chuckled, a sad forlorn look on his face, as if he regretted something.

"Oh yes, Tom was a brilliant student. Had all the ladies attentions, charming, blunt and honest. Knew exactly what he wanted and wasn't afraid to go after it. He could have been anything he want, done anything. He disappeared decades ago sadly enough." Meredith winced slightly, a little surprised that the man really had no idea what had become of his old student. Thinking quickly Meredith changed the subject, though not far since she was sure a Slytherin such as him would catch it if she did.

"And all these people know where to find you, to send you stuff?" asked Meredith, she couldn't help but wonder why the Death Eaters or Voldemort himself had not yet tracked down Slughorn if hampers of sweets, Quidditch tickets, and visitors craving his advice and opinions could find him.

The look of melancholy slid from Slughorn's face rapidly as he turned to look at the redhead.

"Of course not silly girl," he said. "I have been out of touch with everybody for a year."

Meredith had the impression that the words shocked Slughorn himself; he looked quite unsettled for a moment. Then he shrugged as if nothing worth being bothered about had been said.

"Still… the prudent wizard keeps his head down in such times. All very well for Dumbledore to talk, but taking up a post at Hogwarts just now would be tantamount to declaring my public allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix! And while I'm sure they're very admirable and brave and all the rest of it, I don't personally fancy the mortality rate —"

"You don't have to join the Order to teach at Hogwarts," said Meredith, who could not quite keep a note of derision out of her voice: It was hard to sympathize with Slughorn's cosseted existence when she remembered Sirius, crouching in a cave and living on rats, but being the closet Slytherin she was she did understand his need to continue existing. She didn't fear dying but she didn't want to die either. "Actually, I don't blame you for not joining them. Most of the teachers aren't in it, and none of them has ever been killed — well, unless you count Quirrell, and he got what he deserved seeing as he was working with Voldemort and tried to kill me."

She had to ponder if she thought ill of Quirrell more so because of his connection to Voldemort or because he'd tried to kill her but quickly shook the thought away to focus on Slughorn who gave a shudder and a squawk of protest, which Meredith ignored.

Meredith had been sure Slughorn would be one of those wizards who could not bear to hear Voldemort's name spoken aloud, and she was not disappointed.

"I reckon the staff are safer than most people while Dumbledore's headmaster; he's supposed to be the only one Voldemort ever feared, isn't he?" Meredith went on. "Though I have to wonder at times if it's really fear apposed to strategy."

Slughorn gazed into space for a moment or two after having given her a strange yet appraising look: He seemed to be thinking over Meredith's words, or maybe the girl herself.

"Like Mother, like daughter," he muttered with a chuckle. "I can honestly say I am at a lost for how you are a Gryffindor my dear. Brave you may be, but I know a Slytherin heart when I see one."

Years ago she would have been offended but she'd gotten over that years ago. She was only a Gryffindor because she'd asked and the hat had given her second best. At heart, even mind she'd always be a Slytherin, no matter how the Headmaster – or her at one point - would wish to deny, or ignore it.

"Maybe I'm a snake in lion's clothing because I asked to go unnoticed. I don't know if the world would have been to kind to a Slytherin Girl-Who Lived."

"Know thy enemy," he muttered with a smile before changing the subject again.

"Well, yes, it is true that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has never sought a fight with Dumbledore," he muttered grudgingly. "And I suppose one could argue that as I have not joined the Death Eaters, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can hardly count me a friend… in which case, I might well be safer a little closer to Albus… I cannot pretend that Amelia Bones's death did not shake me… If she, with all her Ministry contacts and protection…"

Meredith withheld a wince at the reminder of Amelia Bones, she didn't know Amelia and so she couldn't say she was torn up about the woman's untimely demise but she knew Susan, not closely but close enough to feel pity for the Hufflepuff girl. It was then, as she thought about this that Dumbledore reentered the room and Slughorn jumped as though he had forgotten he was in the house.

"Oh, Albus," he said. "You've been a very long lime. Upset stomach?"

"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines," said Dumbledore. "I do love knitting patterns. Well, Meredith, we have trespassed upon Horace's hospitality quite long enough; I think it is time for us to leave."

Not at all reluctant to obey, Meredith nodded and Slughorn seemed taken aback.

"You're leaving?"

"Yes, indeed. I think I know a lost cause when I see one."

"Lost…?" Slughorn seemed agitated. He twiddled his fat thumbs and fidgeted as he watched Dumbledore fasten his traveling cloak, and Meredith zip up her jacket.

"Well, I'm sorry you don't want the job, Horace," said Dumbledore, raising his uninjured hand in a farewell salute. Meredith forced herself no to role her eyes, reverse psychology, or at least a form of it, the old man knew his game well. "Hogwarts would have been glad to see you back again. Our greatly increased security notwithstanding, you will always be welcome to visit, should you wish to."

"Yes… well… very gracious… as I say…"

"Good-bye, then."

"Bye," said Meredith. "I hope to see you again one day sir."

She may have been exaggerating just a bit but then he seemed to know her mother and Tom well, two people she'd enjoy learning more about. She didn't think Tom would be in too much of a sharing mood about his youth and she wasn't even sure what to make of her interactions with the Dark Lord. It'd only been a week, under a week technically speaking. It was all enough to give her a headache worse then when her scar would act up.

They were at the front door when there was a shout from behind them.

"All right, all right, I'll do it!" Dumbledore turned to see Slughorn standing breathless in the doorway to the sitting room. "I know what your doing Albus and don't think it has anything to do with you. That girl is...well she isn't all she seems and I think she may be right."

"You will come out of retirement?" Dumbledore asked, a bit confused but not concerning his question. No he was confused about what Horace could possibly mean, what exactly had the two discussed while he'd been out of the room. Despite what it may seem like he hadn't been eavesdropping as the muggles say, no he'd been much to far for that – though he supposed he could have if he wanted with a spell.

"Yes, yes," said Slughorn impatiently. "I must be mad, but yes."

"Wonderful," said Dumbledore, beaming. "Then, Horace, we shall see you on the first of September."

"Yes, I daresay you will," grunted Slughorn. "Ms. Potter."

Meredith turned once more as he called, Dumbledore doing the same just outside the door.

"Yes Professor?" she asked with a smile.

"Maybe we could discus your mother again, you'd like? Tom as well, maybe if you're interested."

"Thank you sir," she said genuinely smiling this time and continued out the door.

As they set off down the garden path, Slughorn's voice floated after them, "I'll want a pay rise, Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore chuckled. The garden gate swung shut behind them, and they set off back down the hill through the dark and the swirling mist.

"Well done, Meredith," said Dumbledore. "But I wonder what he meant, about you being right?"

"I didn't do anything," said Meredith in mock surprise. "It doesn't matter, I'm not to sure myself what he meant."

"I see, he seems to have taken a shine to you. Did you like him?"

"Er…"

Meredith wasn't sure whether she liked Slughorn or not. She supposed he had been pleasant in his way, but he had also seemed vain and, whatever he said to the contrary, much too surprised that a Muggle-born should make a good witch, but then she had to admit to anyone born in this world, as a Pureblood or Half-Blood it may come as a surprise. After all they were the very first with magic in their families. She supposed she did like him well enough, and he didn't seem to edge away from discussing her mother with her. He even seemed willing to tell her about Tom, without to much prodding from her.

"Horace," said Dumbledore, relieving Meredith of the responsibility to say any of this, "likes his comfort. He also likes the company of the famous, the successful, and the powerful. He enjoys the feeling that he influences these people. He has never wanted to occupy the throne himself; he prefers the backseat — more room to spread out, you see. He used to handpick favorites at Hogwarts, sometimes for their ambition or their brains, sometimes for their charm or their talent, and he had an uncanny knack for choosing those who would go on to become outstanding in their various fields..."

"Like my mother, and Tom Riddle?" It came out as more like a question then a statement. The twinkling blue eyes snapped to her and blinked, obviously he hadn't expected that.

"Well, yes. Horace formed a kind of club of his favorites with himself at the center, making introductions, forging useful contacts between members, and always reaping some kind of benefit in return, whether a free box of his favorite crystallized pineapple or the chance to recommend the next junior member of the Goblin liaison Office. I believe Tom was one of his favorite, the other being, ironically, your mother."

Meredith had a sudden and vivid mental image of a great swollen spider, spinning a web around it, twitching a thread here and there to bring its large and juicy flies a little closer, but at the same time she worried the alcohol from earlier might be catching up to her since the images only served to confuse her. Not to mention she may be used to spiders but she wasn't very fond of them, her years in the cupboard with only the spiders for company leaving her a bit of an arachnophobia – though nowhere near the extent of Ron.

"I tell you all this," Dumbledore continued, "not to turn you against Horace — or, as we must now call him, Professor Slughorn — but to put you on your guard. He will undoubtedly try to collect you, Meredith. You would be the jewel of his collection; 'the Girl Who Lived'… or, as they call you these days, 'the Chosen One.'"

At these words, a chill that had nothing to do with the surrounding mist stole over Meredith. She was reminded of words she had heard a weeks ago, words that had a horrible and particular meaning to him: Neither can live while the other survives…

Dumbledore had stopped walking, level with the church they had passed on the way to the home of Professor Slughorn.

"I must ask why did Horace bring up Tom? Before we left?" Meredith opened her mouth, her mind working over time to come up with an answer. All the while she avoided direct eye contact with him, something she was unsure if he noticed.

"You said yourself he was in Professor Slughorn's club, I recognized him from the one of the pictures in his home." She shrugged. "It shocked me, not much was said about him. I guess he thought I'd be interested in knowing more about him." It wasn't exactly a lie, but it did let her know he hadn't been listening in the whole time.

"I see," he said before looking around. "Well, this will do, Meredith. If you will grasp my arm."

Braced this time, Meredith was ready for the Apparition, but still found it unpleasant.

When the pressure disappeared and she found himself able to breathe again, she was standing in a country lane beside Dumbledore and looking ahead to the crooked silhouette of one of her favorite buildings in the world: the Burrow.

In spite of the feeling of dread that had just swept through her, her spirits could not help but lift at the sight of it. Ron was in there… and so was Mrs. Weasley, who could cook better than anyone she knew…including herself. She was sure the other Weasley's would be there as well, maybe even Hermione.

"If you don't mind, Meredith," said Dumbledore, as they passed through the gate, "I'd like a few words with you before we part. In private. Perhaps in here?"

Dumbledore pointed toward a run-down stone outhouse where the Weasleys kept their broomsticks.

A little puzzled, Meredith followed Dumbledore through the creaking door into a space a little smaller than the average cupboard. Dumbledore illuminated the tip of his wand, so that it glowed like a torch, and smiled down at Meredith.

"I hope you will forgive me for mentioning it, Meredith, but I am pleased and a little proud at how well you seem to be coping after everything that happened at the Ministry. Permit me to say that I think Sirius would have been proud of you."

"With all do respect Headmaster I don't really want to talk about that." Dumbledore sighed.

"Yes, but you need too. Keeping emotions like that locked up will only hurt you in the end," he said and Meredith swallowed; her voice seemed to petrify and she did not think she could stand to discuss Sirius.

It had been painful enough to hear Uncle Vernon say "Her godfather's dead?" and even worse to hear Sirius's name thrown out casually by Slughorn. It had taken everything in her not to attack either with the hate that filled her when Sirius was brought up like that. Right now her fist were tightened and her knuckles turning white at the pressure, little bloody crescents were carved into her palms from the force.

"It was cruel," said Dumbledore softly, "that you and Sirius had such a short time together. A brutal ending to what should have been a long and happy relationship."

Meredith nodded, forcing tears back. "I understand you want to help me Professor, and know you want to make up for keeping things from me but I don't know if I'm ready." She looked at him and she could tell that Dumbledore understood, that he might even suspect that until his letter arrived, Meredith had spent nearly all her time at the Dursleys' lying on her bed, refusing meals, and staring at the misted window, full of the chill emptiness that she had come to associate with Dementors. Or outside the house trying to drown her despair and self loath in visions – fantasies – of getting another chance at Bellatrix.

"It's just hard," Meredith said finally, in a low resigned voice, "to realize he won't write to me again. I know you think I'm coping but I'm not. Not really."

She felt stupid for admitting it, but the fact that she had had someone outside Hogwarts who cared what happened to her, almost like a parent, had been one of the best things about discovering her godfather… and now the post owls would never bring her that comfort again. She'd never see snuffles again, or make fun of the fact he was probably one of the only humans on earth to be able to say they could get flees.

_'Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog. In fact, more than once, James suggested that I make the change permanent. The tail I could live with. But the fleas? They're murder.' _Sirius had once said to her and she'd couldn't remember a time she'd laughed so hard. Now days she couldn't find anything to laugh about.

"Sirius represented much to you that you had never known before," said Dumbledore gently. "Naturally, the loss is devastating…"

"But at the Dursley's, I realized that life was too short. I can't keep living in the past or I'll never be able to move forward. I don't know what my future holds, or what destiny truly holds for me but I think I'm ready. I'm ready to stop pretending to be someone I'm not, stop pretending to know where life is taking me."

"Spoken both like your mother and father's daughter and Sirius's goddaughter!" said Dumbledore, with an approving pat on Meredith's back. She wasn't sure she wanted his approval really, but then there was that tiny sliver of her that did want it. She wondered if he'd understood everything she'd said, that essentially what she'd said was she was going to stop pretending to be the Gryffindor the world wanted. She was going to embrace her Slytherin side. She may have to in order to survive this war. "I take my hat off to you — or I would, if I were not afraid of showering you in spiders.

"And now, Meredith, on a closely related subject… I gather that you have been taking the Daily Prophet over the last two weeks?"

"Yes," said Meredith.

"Then you will have seen that there have been not so much leaks as floods concerning your adventure in the Hall of Prophecy?"

"Yes," said Meredith again. "And now everyone knows that I'm the one —"

"No, they do not," interrupted Dumbledore. "There are only two people in the whole world who know the full contents of the prophecy made about you and Lord Voldemort, and they are both standing in this smelly, spidery, though rather roomy, broom shed. It is true, however, that many have guessed, correctly, that Voldemort sent his Death Eaters to steal a prophecy, and that the prophecy concerned you."

Meredith bit her lip, how she hated that word. Prophecy, if only it had never been created.

"Now, I think I am correct in saying that you have not told anybody that you know what the prophecy said?"

"No," said Meredith, her mind going back to her last conversation with Tom. She thought of telling him, confessing about the dreams but everything in her being told her it was a bad idea. So she stayed quiet, though she wondered what she would have said had she not been woken. Tom had asked about the prophecy, what would happen if she told him? Would he kill her? Sure he couldn't in the dreamscape but she had no doubt he could track her down in the real world, his owl didn't have a problem so why should he?

"A wise decision, on the whole I do believe," said Dumbledore. "Although I think you ought to relax it in favor of your friends, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger."

"Yes," he continued, when Meredith looked startled, "I think they ought to know. You do them a disservice by not confiding something this important to them."

"I didn't want —"

"— to worry or frighten them?" said Dumbledore, surveying Meredith over the top of his half-moon spectacles. "Or perhaps, to confess that you yourself are worried and frightened? You need your friends, Meredith. As you are aware I'm sure, Sirius would not have wanted you to shut yourself away."

"Maybe," she said after a moment. "Maybe you're right but I can't. Not right now, right now I have to get my head straight. Figure out if I can actually truly trust them with something like that, I won't make the same mistake my parents did."

"I believe your being too harsh dear girl," Dumbledore said clearly startled. "They've been your dearest friends since you boarded the train, have they not?"

Meredith wondered where he got that information from but chalked it up to gossip and the fact the Headmaster seemed to know everything. She didn't even bother to correct him, she and Hermione had not been close until Halloween. She had little doubts about Hermione, but Ron worried her. He'd betrayed her trust and faith in him before and no matter what she said fourth year was still rather vivid in her mind. She may forgive but she never forgot.

"Wormtail was my father's friend since his first year and he caused their death without blinking."

"That as it may be Meredith, I don't see Mr. Weasley or Ms. Granger as the type."

Meredith said nothing, but Dumbledore did not seem to require an answer. He continued with a sigh, "On a different, though related, subject, it is my wish that you take private lessons with me this year."

"Private — with you?" said Meredith, surprised out of her preoccupied silence.

"Yes. I think it is time that I took a greater hand in your education."

"What will you be teaching me, sir?"

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," said Dumbledore airily.

Meredith waited hopefully, but Dumbledore did not elaborate, much to her annoyance. So she asked something else that had been bothering her lately.

"If I'm having lessons with you, I won't have to do Occlumency lessons with Snape, will I?"

She hoped not, after all she could just ask Tom latter...she bit her cheek again. She felt like hitting herself, Tom wasn't her friend, he wasn't some noble knight that was riding to her rescue and teaching her things to keep her alive. He was simply using her she was sure, amusing himself with their banter and waiting to get close enough to stab her to death, or Avada Kadavra her since she doubted he was into the whole blood on his hands type deaths. For some reason this all made her heart sear like a red hot knife to the heart, and tears try to flood her eyes.

That was worrying in itself.

''Professor Snape, Meredith — and no, you will not."

"Good," said Meredith in relief, "because they were a —"

She stopped, trying to find the right words to express her distaste for the mockery of lessons.

"I think the word 'fiasco' would be a good one here," said Dumbledore, nodding.

Meredith laughed. "Well I was going to say load of bullshit but that works too." She didn't care how rude it was and the look of disapproval he sent her did not phase her impassive face – which Dumbledore noticed with worry was as blank as her eyes. He'd seen very few master that look, one of them being Tom Riddle and the other was Severus Snape – though he'd never quite mastered if like Tom, or Meredith seemed to have. It almost felt like a blow to his gut to look at his favorite student and be reminded of Tom – a boy whom he had failed horrendously.

"Well, that means I won't see much of _Professor_ Snape from now on," she said, saying Professor in a mocking way. "because he won't let me carry on Potions unless I get 'Outstanding' in my OWL., which I know I haven't."

"Don't count your owls before they are delivered," said Dumbledore gravely. "If I am not mistaken you seem to have fixed your eyes quite nicely. The potion while simply isn't widely known either."

Meredith paled for a fraction of a second and she looked at him confused, and he laughed.

"You are not blinking as much, your eyes look much more vibrant then they did before. Someone else would not have noticed unless they already knew what to look for." She nodded, though it didn't change much, she hated the fact he seemed to know things he shouldn't and then talk about them so casually.

"Your OWL's, now I think of it, ought to be some time later today. Now, two more things, Meredith, before we part," Dumbledore began. "Firstly, I wish you to keep your Invisibility Cloak with you at all times from this moment onward. Even within Hogwarts itself. Just in case, you understand me?"

Meredith nodded.

"And lastly, while you stay here, the Burrow has been given the highest security the Ministry of Magic can provide. These measures have caused a certain amount of inconvenience to Arthur and Molly — all their post, for instance, is being searched at the Ministry before being sent on. They do not mind in the slightest, for their only concern is your safety. However, it would be poor repayment if you risked your neck while staying with them."

"I understand," said Meredith quickly, biting her tongue to stop the words she might regret latter from spilling forth.

"Very well, then," said Dumbledore, pushing open the broom shed door and stepping out into the yard. "I see a light in the kitchen. Let us not deprive Molly any longer of the chance to deplore how thin you are."

And so they did.

**xXx**

Latter the next evening after dinner Meredith sat in Fred and Georges old room, staring on the window, Hermione and Ron sitting at the bed. The arrival the night before had been unexpected for Mrs. Weasley who had expected them later that morning, but like all other times the woman had welcomed her into the home. She knew Mrs. and Mr. Weasley both thought of her as their eighth child, hell if you lightened her red hair and made it more fiery like the others she practically was a Weasley. It made her feel nice to be wanted around but Mrs. Weasley also had a way of getting under your skin.

She always thought she was right, and it was clear to practically everyone who wore the pants in the family. She could turn her own children to quivering puddles of fear with one sentence and look and she still had not totally forgiven her for the stint at Grimmauld Place the summer before. She'd firmly believed Molly had no right to undermined Sirius in his own home and she'd been so close to snapping at the woman she'd almost broken one of the goblets they'd drunk from at dinner just to hold her tongue.

Sirius may have been childish most the time but he was, for lack of better word, serious when he needed to be. If hadn't been his fault he got arrested and then thrown into Azkaban without a trail. He wasn't a criminal and Mrs. Weasley had made him out to be. Sirius didn't seem to hold any ill will towards her though so she'd let it go and she could understand where the woman came from but there was a line she had repeatedly crossed it. She shook her head, now it sounded like she was repeating herself.

"You did well on your OWL's Mer," Hermione said, it was obvious she was trying to break the ice. Ron snorted.

"Bloody right she did," he said smiling.

"Yeah," Meredith muttered. She been pleasantly surprised yet pleased with her OWL's.

**Ordinary Wizarding Level Results**

**Pass Grades:**

**Outstanding (O)**

**Exceeds Expectations (E)**

**Acceptable (A)**

**Fail Grades:**

**Poor (P)**

**Dreadful (D)**

**Troll (T)**

**Meredith Lily Potter has achieved:**

**Astronomy: A**

**Care of Magical Creatures: O**

**Charms: O**

**Defense Against the Dark Arts: O**

**Divination: P**

**Herbology: E**

**History of Magic: D**

**Potions: E**

**Transfiguration: E**

"I guess," she said with a sigh. She knew she could have passed History if it hadn't been for the vision and now that big 'D' that stared back at her felt like it was mocking her, like the dreadful wasn't for the subject but for not saving Sirius. "You did better though, we knew you would Hermione."

Hermione blushed lightly and Ron laughed, clapping the bushy haired girl on the shoulder. She giggled low, low enough that her two friends didn't hear her. She couldn't help but wonder when the two would finally admit to liking each other.

"This isn't about me," Hermione said, a determined look on her face. "You know you did great too, both of you. Maybe this year you'll get to be Prefect?" Meredith looked over at her friends and smirked.

"Nah, how would I possibly be considered for that? Do you realize how much trouble alone I've caused."

"Together mate, together," Ron said with a laugh. "If they can think to give it to me they can give it to you. Not to mention I reckon you're a shoe in for Head Girl."

"Really? I always thought of Hermione as the Head Girl type," Meredith said teasingly, a coy smile plastered on her face. Hermione blushed, this time deeper.

"That would be nice," Hermione admitted. "But I think Ron's right. I guess we'll have to wait and see, huh?"

"Yeah, wait and see." Meredith looked back out the window into the darkness before getting up and walking over to the bed, practically dive bombing it, making the trio burst into fits of laughter. Though both noticed Meredith's smile didn't quite reach her eyes like it once had and her laugh wasn't as true.

"Pillow fight!" Hermione cried, slightly out character for her but she wanted to do anything to cheer her best friend, and adopted sister – though not legally as it may be – up. Ron looked blankly at the girls as Hermione grabbed one of the many feather pillows and began hitting him and Meredith with them. He was shocked when Meredith actually grabbed one of her own and began fighting back.

"What the bloody hel..." his question was cut short by two pillows to the face.

**xXx**

Meredith remained within the confines of the Burrow's garden over the next few weeks, though she didn't really mind all that much. During this time she spent it reading the three books Tom had gifted her whenever she could -she realized being careful and cunning about it was best since she didn't want to answer questions and no one could know about the illegal dark arts book she now owned. She also kept up her meditation which would help her master her animagus form, the downside to this all was she hadn't a single dream in these weeks. Her scar would twinge in pain and she'd feel slight emotions – usually annoyance, and anger – but otherwise nothing. At first she was a bit relieved, but after the first few days she began to miss her time in the dreamscape, and that alone scared her.

She spent the rest of her time playing two-a-side Quidditch in the Weasleys' orchard (she and Hermione against Ron and Ginny; Hermione was dreadful and Ginny good, so they were reasonably well matched) and his evenings eating triple helpings of everything Mrs. Weasley put in front of her. If it wasn't for the Quidditch she worry a bit more about getting fat, but then she'd never been one to put on weight and keep it for long. High metabolism she assumed.

Not long after her OWLs arrived she'd talked to Hermione about Ancient Runes and had asked the girl to tutor her since she wanted to see if she could get into the class, despite it being so late. She knew she'd have to figure out a way to do her OWLs in the subject but it wasn't uncommon for students to OWL late for a subject before their NEWTS. She was determined to make up for lost time learning something that could help her in the future apposed to something so useless as Divination as been.

The same night she'd talked to Hermione about it she'd sent Hedwig off with a missive for Professor McGonagall. The returned letter didn't bode well for her, but her head of house was willing to work with her to see about her getting into the class, though there had been no promises she'd be allowed into the sixth year class this year without at least an 'A' passing OWL. The good news was she actually liked Ancient Runes but it wasn't easy, not by a long shot, but it wasn't hard for her to grasp with Hermione's help either.

It would have been a happy, peaceful holiday had it not been for the stories of disappearances, odd accidents, even of deaths now appearing almost daily in the Prophet. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it was Tom...Voldemort's doing. She hated needless killing, but she also knew it'd take nothing short of a miracle for Voldemort to stop. Part of her felt guilty, because it wasn't long ago she'd been casually chatting and accepting gifts from the enemy, but then there had been that nasty voice in the back of her mind which said in not to kind words, _'Was he really her enemy?'_, truth be told she didn't want to be his enemy, she didn't want the responsibility, and she didn't want to kill anyone.

Sometimes the day would become even more somber as Bill and Mr. Weasley brought home news before it even reached the paper, sometimes after. To Mrs. Weasley's displeasure, Meredith's sixteenth birthday celebrations – as late as they were - were marred by grisly tidings brought to the party by Remus Lupin, who was looking gaunt and grim, his brown hair streaked liberally with gray, his clothes more ragged and patched than ever. She wondered if maybe she should be more happy to see the last remaining friend and link she now had to Sirius and her parents, but then he was also a reminder of what she'd lost.

"There have been more dementor attacks," he announced, as Mrs. Weasley passed him a large slice of birthday cake. "And they've found Igor Karkaroff's body in a shack up north. The Dark Mark had been set over it… well, frankly, I'm surprised he stayed alive for even a year after deserting the Death Eaters; Sirius's brother, Regulus, only managed a few days as far as I can remember."

For moment Meredith wondered if there anything special about Sirius' brother, it was the second time in a month she'd heard the name and truthfully she had to wonder if Tom would answer the questions she had about the youngest Black if she asked? Maybe she should be more worried about her mental state, thinking about asking Dark Lord's questions as if they'd been friends for years. She was aware they were not_ friends_, she was just unsure of _what_ they were now days.

"Yes, well," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning, "perhaps we should talk about something diff…"

"Did you hear about Florean Fortescue, Remus?" asked Bill, who was being plied with wine by Fleur. It had been a while since Meredith had seen her fellow champion. They'd gotten on pretty well, though Fleur had always been trying to give her beauty tips, the Veela had also given her advice on a few spells for the tournament. "The man who ran…"

"Is that the ice-cream parlor in Diagon Alley?" Meredith interrupted, with an unpleasant, hollow sensation in the pit of her stomach. She remembered him, he'd always been so nice. "He used to give me free ice creams. What's happened to him?"

"Dragged off, by the look of his place."

"Why?" asked Ron, while Mrs. Weasley pointedly glared at Bill.

"Who knows? He must've upset them somehow. He was a good man, Florean."

"Talking of Diagon Alley," said Mr. Weasley, "looks like Ollivander's gone too."

"The wandmaker?" said Ginny, looking startled.

"That's the one. Shop's empty. No sign of a struggle. No one knows whether he left voluntarily or was kidnapped."

"But what'll people do for wands?"

"They'll make do with other makers," said Lupin. "But Ollivander was the best, and if the other side have got him it's not so good for us."

The day after this rather gloomy birthday tea, their letters and book lists arrived from Hogwarts. Meredith's included two surprises: she had been made Quidditch Captain and Prefect, something that was almost unheard of.

"Congratulations," Remus had said, a proud smile on his haggard face. "Your father was one of the few to achieve the same you know."

"That gives you equal status with prefects, though I suppose you are a Prefect as well!" cried Hermione happily. "You can use the special bathroom now and everything!"

"Are they crazy?" Meredith asked examining the two badges. "The school will be in ruins by the end of the week!" Everyone laughed at that and Ron clapped her on the back.

"Wow, I remember when Charlie wore one of these," said Ron, examining the badge with glee. "Meredith, this is so cool, you're my Captain… if you let me back on the team, I suppose, ha ha…"

"Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed in a scolding manner.

"But what about Hermione? I mean if I'm Prefect..." Hermione smiled and held up her own badge.

"It's almost unheard of but it's been done before. I've read in Hogwarts and History at least three separate occasions where one house had two female Prefects for one year instead of a male and female." Meredith smiled.

"I still think it's a rather bad idea," Meredith said. "I don't know if I can handle it."

"Rather modest of yourself Merry," Remus said smiling. "Your father managed fine but I am sure if you find yourself unable to handle both you can talk to Minerva about passing on one of the badges."

"Thanks Moony," Meredith said.

"Well, I don't suppose we can put off a trip to Diagon Alley much longer now you've got these," sighed Mrs. Weasley, looking down Ron's book list. "We'll go on Saturday as long as your father doesn't have to go into work again. I'm not going there without him."

"Mum, d'you honestly think You-Know-Who's going to be hiding behind a bookshelf in Flourish and Blotts?" sniggered Ron. Meredith did have to agree that it was a rather funny image but nothing to joke about either. She'd learned that no matter how well she thought she knew the man he was always surprising her.

"Fortescue and Ollivander went on holiday, did they?" said Mrs. Weasley, firing up at once. "If you think security's a laughing matter you can stay behind and I'll get your things myself…"

"No, I wanna come, I want to see Fred and George's shop!" said Ron hastily.

"Then you just buck up your ideas, young man, before I decide you're too immature to come with us!" said Mrs. Weasley angrily, snatching up her clock, all nine hands of which were still pointing at "mortal peril," and balancing it on top of a pile of just-laundered towels. "And that goes for returning to Hogwarts as well!"

Ron turned to stare incredulously at Meredith as his mother hoisted the laundry basket and the teetering clock into her arms and stormed out of the room.

"Blimey… you can't even make a joke round here anymore…"

**xXx**

Saturday came by quickly, and much to her expectancy she saw the many Aurors there to escort them to the Alley. Soon enough Hagrid arrived, she supposed Dumbledore wanted him along for the extra security, being half-giant he was very resistant against a lot of spells that's probably kill a purebred human.

Diagon Alley had changed. The colorful, glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them. Most of these somber purple posters carried blown-up versions of the security advice on the Ministry pamphlets that had been sent out over the summer, but others bore moving black-and-white photographs of Death Eaters known to be on the loose. Bellatrix Lestrange was sneering from the front of the nearest apothecary. A few windows were boarded up, including those of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. On the other hand, a number of shabby-looking stalls had sprung up along the street.

The nearest one, which had been erected outside Flourish and Blotts, under a striped, stained awning, had a cardboard sign pinned to its front:

AMULETS

Effective Against Werewolves, Dementors, and Inferi!

A seedy-looking little wizard was rattling armfuls of silver symbols on chains at passersby.

"One for your little girls, madam?" he called at Mrs. Weasley as they passed, leering at Ginny, and Meredith who stood together closest to the man and Mrs. Weasley. She supposed she did pass well enough for a Weasley and her scar was covered by some foundation Hermione had provided since she owned very little makeup and her bangs. "Protect her pretty neck?"

"Back off," Meredith snapped, moving closer to Ginny in case the wizard tried something. She thought of Ginny as a little sister, and she'd protect her own.

"If I were on duty…" said Mr. Weasley, glaring angrily at the amulet seller.

"Yes, but don't go arresting anyone now, dear, we're in a hurry," said Mrs. Weasley, nervously consulting a list. "I think we'd better do Madam Malkin's first, Hermione wants new dress robes, and Ron's showing much too much ankle in his school robes, and you must need new ones too, Merry dear, you've grown so much… come on, everyone…"

"Actually Mrs. Weasley I wanted to get a full wardrobe if we had the time," she said nervously and Mrs. Weasley looked at her surprised but nodded nonetheless with a smile on her face.

"Of course dear."

"Molly, it doesn't make sense for all of us to go to Madam Malkin's," said Mr. Weasley. "Why don't those three go with Hagrid, and we can go to Flourish and Blotts and get everyone's school-books?"

"I don't know," said Mrs. Weasley anxiously, clearly torn between a desire to finish the shopping quickly and the wish to stick together in a pack. "Hagrid, do you think —?"

"Don't fret, they'll be fine with me, Molly," said Hagrid soothingly, waving an airy hand the size of a dustbin lid. Mrs. Weasley did not look entirely convinced, but allowed the separation, scurrying off toward Flourish and Blotts with her husband and Ginny while Meredith, Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid set off for Madam Malkin's.

Meredith noticed that many of the people who passed them had the same harried, anxious look as Mrs. Weasley, and that nobody was stopping to talk anymore; the shoppers stayed together in their own tightly knit groups, moving intently about their business. Nobody seemed to be shopping alone, but then she couldn't blame them for that. Only the foolish had nothing to fear.

"Migh' be a bit of a squeeze in there with all of us," said Hagrid, stopping outside Madam Malkin's and bending down to peer through the window. "I'll stand guard outside, all right?"

So Meredith, Ron, and Hermione entered the little shop together. It appeared, at first glance, to be empty, but no sooner had the door swung shut behind them than they heard a familiar voice issuing from behind a rack of dress robes in spangled green and blue.

"… not a child, in case you haven't noticed, Mother. I am perfectly capable of doing my shopping alone."

There was a clucking noise and a voice Meredith recognized as that of Madam Malkin, the owner, said, "Now, dear, your mother's quite right, none of us is supposed to go wandering around on our own anymore, it's nothing to do with being a child…"

"Watch where you're sticking that pin, will you!"

A teenage boy with a pale, pointed face and white-blond hair appeared from behind the rack, wearing a handsome set of dark green robes that glittered with pins around the hem and the edges of the sleeves. He strode to the mirror and examined himself; it was a few moments before he noticed Meredith, Ron, and Hermione reflected over his shoulder. His light gray eyes narrowed.

"If you're wondering what the smell is, Mother, a Mudblood just walked in," said Draco Malfoy.

"Hmm, as eloquent as always Malfoy," Meredith snapped, glaring.

"Big word, Mudblood lover, can you spell it?" he snapped back

"I don't think there's any need for language like that!" said Madam Malkin, scurrying out from behind the clothes rack holding a tape measure and a wand. "And I don't want wands drawn in my shop either!" she added hastily, for a glance toward the door had shown her Meredith and Ron both standing there with their wands out and pointing at Malfoy.

Hermione, who was standing slightly behind them, whispered, "No, don't, honestly, it's not worth it. "

"Yeah, like you'd dare do magic out of school," sneered Malfoy and smirked as he noticed Hermione's eye. "Who blacked your eye, Granger? I want to send them flowers."

"That's quite enough!" said Madam Malkin sharply, looking over her shoulder for support. "Madam, please!"

Narcissa Malfoy strolled out from behind the clothes rack.

"Put those away," she said coldly to Meredith and Ron. "If you attack my son again, I shall ensure that it is the last thing you ever do."

"Really?" said Meredith, taking a step forward and gazing into the smoothly arrogant face that, for all its pallor, still resembled her sister's. She was almost as tall as she was now, though regrettably she was still a good two or three inches taller. "Going to get a few Death Eater pals to do us in, are you?"

Madam Malkin squealed and clutched at her heart.

"Really, you shouldn't accuse… dangerous thing to say… wands away, please!"

But Meredith did not lower her wand. Narcissa Malfoy smiled unpleasantly.

"I see that being Dumbledore's favorite has given you a false sense of security, Meredith Potter. But Dumbledore won't always be there to protect you."

"You think so little of me, how reckless of you," Meredith said mockingly, her tone almost matching that of Narcissa Malfoy's. Meredith looked mockingly all around the shop then and as she turned back to Mrs. Malfoy she smirked, looking rather cruel – Narcissa had to wonder if the Black blood was stronger in this girl then she'd once thought. She remembered for being so closely related to the Blacks James Potter had been every-bit a Potter. "Wow… look at that… he's not here now! So why not have a go? They might be able to find you a double cell in Azkaban with your failure of a husband!"

Malfoy made an angry movement toward Meredith, but stumbled over his overlong robe. Ron laughed loudly.

"Why isn't dear Lucius out yet Madam Malfoy?" Meredith asked, cutting deep with her words she knew. "He wasn't too happy with your husband now was he, left the failure to rot has he? Guess for all you money and prestige the Dark Lord doesn't forgive as easily as you thought?"

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, Meredith Potter was a true enigma, she wasn't near as golden as she let on it appeared. Not to mention the Girl Who Lived had not said the Dark Lord's name, but by his tittle instead, truly strange? It seemed she was the only one to notice though.

"Don't you dare talk to my mother like that, Potter!" Malfoy snarled. "My father either." It almost seemed an after thought he added this.

"It's all right, Draco," said Narcissa, restraining him with her thin white fingers upon his shoulder. "I expect Potter will be reunited with dear Sirius before I am reunited with Lucius."

Meredith raised her wand higher, a sneer on her face and the cruciatus on her tongue.

"Meredith, no!" moaned Hermione, grabbing her arm and attempting to push it down by her side. "Think… You mustn't… You'll be in such trouble…"

The red haze cleared a bit and she sighed. She wanted the bitch to pay for her slander of Sirius but to cast the spell she was about to would have caused more damage then needed. Not only would she be the one to most likely join Lucius in Azkaban but she'd be forced to endure her friends questions and worries.

Madam Malkin dithered for a moment on the spot, then seemed to decide to act as though nothing was happening in the hope that it wouldn't. She bent toward Malfoy, who was still glaring at Meredith.

"I think this left sleeve could come up a little bit more, dear, let me just…"

"Ouch!" bellowed Malfoy, slapping her hand away. "Watch where you're putting your pins, woman! Mother, I don't think I want these anymore."

He pulled the robes over his head and threw them onto the floor at Madam Malkin's feet.

"You're right, Draco," said Narcissa, with a contemptuous glance at Hermione, "now I know the kind of scum that shops here… We'll do better at Twilfitt and Tatting's."

And with that, the pair of them strode out of the shop, Malfoy taking care to bang as hard as he could into Ron on the way out.

"Bloody gits," Ron muttered and Hermione hit him in the arm halfheartedly and Meredith smiled slightly.

"His left sleeve," Meredith muttered and Ron and Hermione looked at her in confusion.

"What?" Hermione asked and Meredith look to both of them and shook her head.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said. "Nothing at all."

But it was a lie, her gut was telling her that something was strange about Malfoy this year. Something to do with Voldemort, and she'd bet her gold at Gringotts that it was the Dark Mark that Draco was hiding up his sleeve.

Now only to prove it.

_'Or you could just ask Tom.' _Meredith sneered mentally at the pesky voice that always brought the handsome dark lord to the forefront of her mind when she least wanted it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So here it is, it's longer then I had hoped and hopefully you all liked it. Please review, I love hearing from you guys and the more I get then faster I update. Though regardless I'll try to update twice a week, more if I can.**

**Also I tweaked her OWLs a bit, Harry got a E in Charms and a E in Care of Magical Creatures but for Meredith I see her getting 'Os' in those subjects so that's what I did. But like in Canon she still only has seven OWLs.  
><strong>


	6. The Beginning to End

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

****A/N 3/2/12 : So thanks to everyone who reviewed, and to those who let me know of errors thanks I went back over the last chapter so it should be fixed for the most part. This chapter is where it starts to change from the sixth book though to those who have read the book you'll see the differences between the last three chapters and the book. From this point there will be little to no words taken from the book, when it comes to the lessons between Dumbledore and Merry though there might be, but I will always let you know when part of the chapter is taken from the book. It's a good idea to go ahead and suffer through it because I am changing things, sentences sometimes even a whole paragraph and added dialog and I don't want you to miss anything important. ****

****Remember R&R! The more reviews I get the faster I work.  
><strong>**

* * *

><p><strong>Rumor Has It.<strong>

**Chapter 5: The Beginning to End.**

"Why am I playing this?" Meredith asked as she sat across from Ginny the last week before September first. During this time she'd either been studying, thinking about how things had changed since last year and helping Mrs. Weasley with whatever she could get the older woman to let her help with. The motherly redheaded woman seemed to think because she was the guest she shouldn't have to do anything, but Meredith was so used to taking care of everything house related at the Dursley's she felt she should help somehow.

Besides all this she couldn't help but wonder if her suspicions about Draco were true or not and why she had not been sucked into the dreamscape in practically a month. Had the phenomenon stopped, had Tom figured out a way to stop them all together? There was simply no way he wasn't sleeping or maybe she was over thinking the whole thing. Shouldn't she be happy to not have to put up with the Dark Lord invading her sleep?

The biggest problem was the prophecy. Dumbledore had expressed his wishes that she tell her friends, Hermione and Ron that is but she was afraid. She didn't want to worry them and she didn't want to put them in the position of knowing something that could get them killed or worse. She still wasn't decided if it was worth it, what if they betrayed her? She was almost positive she could trust her friends, especially Hermione who'd never abandoned her but Ron...he had a jealous streak a mile long and tended to let his anger blind him to simple obvious facts.

"Because you love me," Ginny quipped with a laugh as she sent one of her pawns at her chessman. She sighed as another one of her pieces were smashed to smithereens and leaned back in the chair.

"I don't know why, you devious," Meredith said. "I suck at wizards chess."

Ginny laughed and made one more move before the game was over, "Checkmate," she said victoriously. Meredith rolled her eyes.

"You knew you would win Gin," she accused and ignored the innocent facade the younger red-haired girl sent her. She ran a hand through her own similarly colored hair and looked over to the door as Ron and Hermione entered the room.

"She beat ya mate?" Ron asked looking from the chess set to her and Meredith smiled.

"Obviously." Ron and Hermione chuckled and Ron turned to Ginny.

"Get out Ginny," he said. "We have to talk to Merry."

"Why? She's my friend too Ron," Ginny protested standing as she crossed her arms. Hermione hit Ron on the arm and smiled at Ginny.

"It's just..." Meredith interrupted her by standing and smiling at Ginny.

"You don't have to go Ginny, you're right, we're friends and you have just as much right to know as Ron and Hermione." They all looked at her startled.

"Merry, know what?" Hermione asked, a tone of hesitance in her voice. She sighed and motioned for Ron to shut and lock the door before she walked over to the bed and sat. The other three followed her example and soon the four were sitting on the double bed in a mockery of a circle. Ginny and Hermione on either side and Ron across from her.

"I told you about Dumbledore the night arrived, about the private lessons," she began and Ron and Hermione nodded while Ginny looked at her with wide butterscotch eyes.

"The headmaster is giving you private lessons? In what, is he going to take up your Occlumency lessons?" Ginny asked, startling Ron and Hermione who had not thought of that nor known she knew about Meredith's lessons with Snape the last year. Gin rolled her eyes at the two.

"I told you we were friends, she tells me some of the same things she tells you two," she said almost offended. Meredith laughed softly and nodded.

"She right, anyways I didn't tell you that the comment Ron made about the prophet." She stopped and looked at her three closest friends. "The Prophet actually got it right, with the name 'The Chosen One'.

"That's ludicrous!" Hermione exclaimed. "There is no reason to think you have to do this alone..."

"Hermione, I know you guys are here for me and really this whole thing just makes my head hurt. Why do I have fight anything? Why should I risk my life for a world that constantly hurts me, no offense." She had shocked them with her outburst but none seemed angry. Ron had seemed a bit miffed at first but he soon nodded.

"Merry, I know I haven't been the best friend and I know I'm an idiot but your my best friend. Like a sister, no matter what," he said and Hermione smiled. Maybe the last year had matured him more then she had dared to hope. Ginny grinned as did Meredith.

"Looks like you're finally getting your priorities straight brother," Gin said and Meredith and Hermione laughed as Ron turned red from embarrassment.

"You guys know that prophecy we got last year?" she suddenly asked, her face serious.

"Yes, but it smashed, no one knows what it said." Meredith shook her head at Ginny's words and smiled grimly.

"Not exactly, the prophecy was made with a witness in 1979," she began gaining there attention. "The person who witnessed it was Dumbledore so he knows what it says."

"That's great, he can tell you!" Hermione exclaimed with a grin.

"Unless he already has," Ron said noticing the look on her face and Hermione and Ginny's eyes widened. Meredith nodded.

"Last year, the night we came back from the Ministry Battle. He told me then but...I've been afraid to tell you, to worry you, that you would slip or..." she sighed. "I just had to be sure I wasn't making the same mistake as my parents by trusting to soon."

"Oh Merry," Hermione muttered and lunged forward to hug her. Ron and Ginny gave her understanding looks and Hermione let her go, returning to her place next to Ron.

"You don't have to tell us mate," Ron said. "Bloody hell, it was made by Trelawney for all we know it's fake. She must have been desperate after all, and whose to say a real one from a fake one?"

"I don't know, she's made at least one true one, but for all we know she's just really lucky and good at faking..." she hesitated. "Lucky."

"What?" Gin asked and Meredith jumped from the bed and took a book from under the bed, obviously she'd hidden it there up on the boards that made the bed-frame. It was a potions book, rather old but also not one well known. Hermione thought she recognized the tittle, and was a bit shocked to know Meredith had it since it was borderline illegal to own since some of the potions were considered dark – legal dark but still dark.

"Luck, she'd lucky. I mean if it's fake, and we'd only really know if we asked her but if she'd getting help to make them seem real then I know of a potion that could do that." Hermione's eyes lit up as she recognized where her friend was going and the page she'd turned too proved this.

**Felix Felicis**

"Of course, liquid luck!" Hermione said and she nodded.

"What's that?" Ron asked, confused.

"It's a potion, Felix Felicis. I heard of it but I don't know exactly what it is," Ginny said trying to rake her brain for the answer.

"It's a potion which simulates luck, also known as liquid luck," Meredith said showing them the passage in the book. "It makes the drinker act sort of cooky, but confident, if she's faking her predictions this would be how. Otherwise we have to concede to the fact she's not making them up, personally I hope she is."

"Don't blame you there, but why? I mean you've faced You-Know-Who before and survived, you could beat him," Ron said and Hermione, Ginny and Meredith sighed.

"It was nice while it lasted," Hermione muttered.

"What did I say?"

"Ron, I'm sixteen, I don't want to fight. I want to be a normal witch. I told Dumbledore that I was ready to stop pretending and be who I am, to take things as they come. I don't think he really got it though, they expect me to risk my life for some prophecy that may or may not be real and I'm not willing to play the perfect little weapon. I want to be me, and if the world can't get off their ass and fight for what they want they can rot because I am through being they're scapegoat."

The three stared at their friend, Ginny and Hermione had tears in their eyes and Ron looked older as he tried to take in her words to the best of his ability.

He understood, he did and it was hard to think of her not wanting to be the savior, to do what his parents had always told him she'd do as bedtime stories, but looking at her he realized the world had treated her like crap. Both the Muggle and Wizarding ones, they'd used and abused her for too long. She was a human being and it wasn't right to think she'd be their saving grace and unless she wanted to fight he wasn't going to push her. It was after all her decision.

"I get it," Ron said. "I agree, so what's the plan this year? No reckless adventures, near deaths?"

the quartet laughed and Meredith let a tear fall as she leaped forward and hug her friends, which was a little hard since it was a four way hug.

"I love you guys," she said wiping her face and they smiled.

"We love you too," Hermione said. "What was the prophecy exactly? If we hear it maybe we can figure out if it's true, or one of us can get it out of Trelawney. Ginny has her class this year, don't you?"

Ginny groaned. "Unfortunately. I don't know what I was thinking."

"It was actually a bit straight forward, strange really because I thought they were supposed to be more vague," she shrugged and then recited it from memory. "The one with the power to vanquish the - Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"

Silence reigned as they all sat in thought.

"But you're a girl!"

**xXx**

_That night she woke to find herself laying across a sofa, but it was similar to one you'd see in a shrinks office for the patients who laid down to confess their feelings. She sat up, noticing she wore the nightie she'd bought with the rest of her new wardrobe in Diagon Alley. It was almost tunic style and thin, Acromantula_ _silk she assumed in silver with teal trimming lace. It was sort of inappropriate as it came barely passed her mid-thighs but she had been so knackered she hadn't thought to dress more casually in case she was sucked into the dreamscape. Maybe part of her thought she wouldn't be again, it had been a long time. _

"_Nice nighty," a amused voice said and she stood, turned and gasped, her hand flying to her chest. Standing against the door-frame was Tom, though he wasn't exactly Tom right now. His snake like appearance was back, and he wore bloodstained robes. _

"_A little warning, did you have to come here like that?" she snapped the question ignoring the narrowing of his red eyes. "Are you alright?" _

"_Are you concerned for my well being little Redbird?" she blushed slightly, both from embarrassment and anger. She hated when he called her that, well at least she had at first but she admitted to herself she had missed him and his cynical dark sense of humor. _

"_Maybe," she admitted. His red eyes softened and he sighed walking forward. _

"_It's not my blood," he said and she watched in amazement as his form shimmered and suddenly she was looking at the more human Voldemort, Tom. He ran a hand through his hair and sat on the chair across from the place she'd woken. She sat back down herself, making sure to keep the hem of her nighty drawn down as close to her knees as she could get without exposing her chest, or ripping the fabric. _

"_Why haven't we been here..." she stopped and then continued. "I mean why so long of a wait? I don't understand." _

" _Neither do I, it's confused me but it gave me time to research this place. I found nothing, but I stick my my earlier assumption that it has to do with the connection, possibly a after effect of the ritual that brought me back." She stared at him confused. _

"_I don't understand." he laughed, and she found herself tingling at the sound. It wasn't a bad sound, it wasn't the cold, high one that reeked of evil but genuinely amused heartfelt laughter. She'd heard a little teaser of it before but this was different. _

"_I'm not surprised, the fact I used your blood may have strengthened the former connection. It might even have had a adverse to whatever blood magic your mother invoked that Halloween night." She nodded. _

"_Last time you were saying something, before that old codger interrupted us," Tom began, a sneer on his face as he mentioned Dumbledore and she couldn't help but notice it made him sort of cute and she had to shake her head to clear it. "About the prophecy." _

_She gulped, her eyes blinking repeatedly. "Did you ever think to assume the prophecy might have been fake?" Tom's eyes widened and he looked at her. _

"_What?" _

"_I was talking to my friends..." _

"_The Weasley boy and Mudblood." She glared at him but he did little except raise a black elegant __eyebrow. She rolled her eyes and nodded. _

"_Yeah and Ginny. I told them my views, how I didn't want to be the wizarding world scapegoat, their so called messiah. I also told the prophecy, and Ron he mentioned how we didn't even know if it was real since no one actually saw prophecies being made and with who made it."_

"_I see, who made it may I ask?"_

"_Professor Trelawney," she said and she heard a loud snort from Tom. Looking up at him she was shocked when he burst into peels of laughter. _

"_Sybil Trelawney? The old coot actually thought she would, could possibly be a true seer?" he asked and she laughed a little, a smile on her face. Soon he had gained control of himself and turned to gaze at her with red eyes filled with mirth. _

"_You and your friends are correct to assume it could be fake, because it probably is. I remember the woman, she was in her fourth year when I began my seventh in 1943-1944, a Ravenclaw but she could manipulate with the best Slytherin," he explained. "She is related to Cassandra Trelawney, distantly but to have the latent seer gene is unlikely for her. She may be able to make one or two true ones, but it's unlikely the one that night nearly seventeen years ago was one of those true ones." _

"_She's that old?" Meredith asked, unable to find anything to say while to absorbed everything. He chuckled. _

"_Wizards and Witches age more gracefully, slowly then muggles as long as we take care of ourselves. Dumbledore is a stout example of that." Tom observed her for a moment, smiling a bit at the silver and teal silk night gown she wore. It showed enough skin but still left enough for the imagination. _

_He was rather shocked though that for a skinny thing she had quite a nice figure and nice chest, but then she'd most likely gotten that from her mother. Lily Potter had been a beauty after all, and while Meredith didn't have the c cup her mother did nor the hourglass figure she had enough to be desirable. What she lacked physically she made up for in power._

"_You were serious, about not wanting to fight me?" he asked and stood walking closer to her before bending down on his knees to be more eye level with her. She stared him in the eyes and nodded. _

"_I am, I never really chose a side, I was expected to be with the light because of my parents, because of being the girl who lived but I don't want to. I don't want to join you either, I want nothing to do with prophecies, or wars. If I am attacked I'll defend myself and my friends but otherwise I just want to be left alone," she said, and thought she fought it he could see the tears build up in her mismatched eyes. He felt a slight pain in his chest which he was at a lost for, why would her tears cause him pain? _

"_Then I it's over," he said smirking at her confused expression which made her rather cute, if not adorable. _

"_Huh?" he chuckled. _

"_You're neutral and as long as you promise, swear not to attack me and mine without provocation from them first – that means they fire the first curse – then I won't attack you and your chosen. I will give you the choice of one hundred people, no more, and no less, I swear." She watched in stunned amazement as a flash of golden light came over the room and she took his offered hand, shivering slightly at the spark the traveled up her and down her body as his skin touched hers. It wasn't unpleasant and if she would admit it, it was sort of arousing but she'd never say this allowed. _

"_I swear to no attack the Dark Lord or his followers as long as they do not attack me first. I swear this," she said and the same light flashed but this time strings of magic or slithered around their joined hands in golden and green and black like snakes before melting into their skin. _

"_Was, was that a unbreakable vow?" she asked shocked, she didn't know what the unbreakable vow involved just that what she'd read one of the days while in the dreamscape. Tom lips quirked up in an amused smile and he almost hesitantly slid his hand from hers and stood, coming to sit beside her, though she was thankful he didn't sit close to her, but almost an arms length away. They both turned to face each other on the couch like thing, which was only slightly awkward. _

"_No, that is simply to dangerous and we don't have a Bonder here. It was a vow but the worse that could happen if broken is pain similar to a cruciatus curse and a magical coma, but neither would be permanent. I am trusting you to keep up your end of the bargain as I swore to keep mine up." _

"_I swore, and I always keep my promises." After a second of staring at each other she smiled coyly. "What do you know of Occlumency Tom?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked slowly. _

"_I know enough to be a master, you wish me to teach you I assume?" _

"_If you would, we don't want Dumbledore to catch on now do we?" he laughed at the irony of Dumbledore's Golden Princess doing something behind his back, and she smiled. _

Unknown to them miles away in reality the place were prophecies were held in the ministry sudden;y began to chill over and in row ninety-seven a new prophecy orb came into existence;

_**August 27th, 1996**_

_**K.P.T. To N/A**_

_**Tom Marvolo Riddle and Meredith Lily Potter.**_

They had no idea that miles from there, in the office of Headmaster Dumbledore a stone pensive suddenly seized as a cold chill froze the old man to the core as he sucked on one of his favorite candies, lemon drops. Just as the twinkling grandfatherly man stood the chill suddenly released and the pensive exploded upwards and chunks of stone flew everywhere as the old prophecy was blown to smithereens, the pensive and any memory in it also caught in the backlash.

Thankfully memories were always automatically returned to pensive owners in cases of this but unfortunately it was painful and so the lemon drop loving manipulator for all his good deeds and wish to help people collapsed in a seizure like manor as the memories returned to his mind.

It would be months before anyone realized Meredith Potter's destiny had indeed been rewritten, but in the process Tom Riddles, otherwise known as Lord Voldemort, had as well because no matter what the two were always intertwined.

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><p><strong>AN: It's a lot shorter but I like how it turned out so hopefully you guys do too, enjoy!**


	7. Hogwarts Again Part I

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

****A/N 3/2/12 : So thanks to everyone who reviewed, and to those who let me know of errors thanks I went back over the last chapter so it should be fixed for the most part. This chapter is where it starts to change from the sixth book though to those who have read the book you'll see the differences between the last three chapters and the book. From this point there will be little to no words taken from the book, when it comes to the lessons between Dumbledore and Merry though there might be, but I will always let you know when part of the chapter is taken from the book. It's a good idea to go ahead and suffer through it because I am changing things, sentences sometimes even a whole paragraph and added dialog and I don't want you to miss anything important. ****

******Remember R&R! The more reviews I get the faster I work.******

**A/N: 3/5/12 : So here is chapter six, and I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed so far, they are great help to me. I would have had this chapter up yesterday but I was sick, stomach bugs are just terrible. I fine now though and so here is the next chapter, or part one of it. Hopefully it is as well liked, and I did the conversation between Tom and Nagini justice. Also I know there is probably not prefects for seventh years since there are head boy and girl that year but I changed it since I thought it made more since. two people can't control the whole schools seventh year population. **

**Anyways R&R and enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 6: Hogwarts Again Part I.**

**Riddle Manor:**

_::What troubles you master?::_ Nagini asked as she slithered up onto her master's desk. Tom pulled the glass of scotch from his forehead and smiled only slightly at his serpent familiar. He'd had Nagini since his youth, having come across her on his travels one summer before sixth year, she'd been his only companion after he'd lost his body as well.

_::It is the girl::_ he replied.

_::The red-she-snake?:: _Nagini asked remembering the girl that had been at her masters rebirth two years ago. _::What of her? Is she to be my dinner sooner then expected?::_

Tom could not stop himself from hissing at the idea, for some reason he didn't wish for her death any longer. The oath they'd sworn four days before had been so out of his character he wondered if her words about him going soft were true? He'd always hated emotions, they made one weak and he'd promised himself never to be weak again when he was but a small child in the dreadful orphanage. He had shed a tear since his teenaged years when he'd found out the truth behind his birth and parents.

He would admit making so many Horcruxes and so young was probably not his best idea, he was not ignorant or arrogant enough to not admit the first attempt had ended badly. He'd cast off to much of his soul to soon, Horcruxes were never meant to hold half of ones soul, after all the soul was a large entity and taking too much would leave the caster in a state of unrest, of insanity. It had been around the time of his rebirth he'd realized this, having gaining enough of his sanity back with the demise of his first Horcrux – the diary.

Not many realized but when a Horcrux was destroyed the soul was not, it returned to either the otherworld or to the original vessel – there was no possible way to destroy a soul, that was why muggles sometimes referred to them as immortal souls, something they'd unknowingly picked up through a wondering witch or wizard since it's been founded in the magical world. Though he put up a front of being the same insane master to his death eaters and the world he'd regained a lot in the last year.

_::She will not be dinner Nagini.::_ Nagini raised her head and if she actually had eyelids Tom was sure she'd have been blinking furiously in confusion.

_::I do not understand master? Has the red-she-snake come around to our way of thinking?::_

_::Not exactly my dear,:: _he said stroking her scales._ ::she'd as sworn an oath to me and I to her, to remain neutral. I have also sworn immunity to her and one hundred of her chosen.:: _

_::Do you liked the snakeling, is she your mate now? She would give beautiful hatchlings, you are both speakers and this shall insure the purity and continuity of the gift?::_ Nagini didn't really understand this new found respect her master had for the girl. Maybe he'd finally realized how pretty the girl was, even Nagini had taken notice of the brilliant shade of red her hair was even when in a disarray and dirty from the tasks at hand. Or how shocking her mismatched eyes were, but then snakes saw beauty in many things and ways.

She'd thought at the time she was simply seeing something humans could not and the girl was really rather plane and ugly. With a smug snake like smile she looked at Tom in amusement at his wide eyed reaction to her question. She even thought she might detect a small blush of embarrassment on his pale skin.

_::Nagini, you are looking to far into this. The dreams will cease I am sure, they are simply a hindrance to us both after all.:: _Nagini snickered.

_::Of course, and that's why you were so uptight and mopey the last month?:: _Red eyes glared at her.

_::I was not mopey,:: _he hissed. _::I am simply confused. I do not feel for the girl, I can not. Maybe it is simply control, now that she is out of the way I can work towards my goal. Dumbledore shall fall now that I possess his weapon.::_

_::So you say now, but you know it is practically mating season for you humans?:: _He sighed.

_::What is this fascination you have with Potter and mating? If anything it is simply lust, and you know how I detest babies.:: _Nagini smirked mentally as she laughed in her own hissing like fashion.

"_Lust, I am sure, and we both know you only detest a crying child, not the baby themselves. Besides,hatchlings are the future are they not?:: _She slithered off them cackling, amused by the distressed look in her masters eyes. She'd been with her master since he was almost out of his hatchling years and now he was a strong adult but to her dissatisfaction he had no mate and no hatchlings of his own.

_'Maybe this red-she-snake will be of use after all, she would give strong hatchlings to master, and he seems to be weakening under her. It's not everyday Master makes oaths to anyone. Hmm...grand-hatchlings,' _she thought with hearts in her eyes. It was not widely known but Nagini loved hatchlings, she had a soft spot for them, probably having to do with the fact she'd only ever had Tom to consider a hatchling with no worthy male snakes around to give her any of her own. Now the only thing that would make it possible for her to die a happy she-snake was to see her master happy with a mate.

Yes, this would definitely be an interesting year, if not years.

**xXx**

"_I return to Hogwarts tomorrow," Meredith mentioned as she opened her eyes, her hands returning from the cat paws she'd managed to her normal human hands. Since time moved so slow in the dreamscape apposed to reality it felt like hours and hours before they left assuming they slept in reality the whole time. This made it easy for him to start her in Occlumency lessons and help her transform. He'd revealed to her his own form – shocking since she'd been unaware the Dark Lord was a animagus – a king cobra, cliché she thought but it suited him very well. At the moment he layed across her shoulders in this form. He looked like any cobra did, but his eyes were the same bright red as his human form. She'd wondered if they'd been the green color once before his eyes had turned red._

_::I see, shouldn't you be happy about this Potter?:: she looked at with a raised eyebrow. _

"_Who says I'm not?" she asked. "Are we back to you calling me Potter now Tom?" _

_The snakes hissed, flaring it's hood. It would have ben scary had she not known him like she did. She knew he couldn't kill her in this place just as she couldn't kill him so she felt a snake bite would have no effect as well. The worse it could do would be cause some bleeding and pain, dispite him being dangerously venomous. _

_::I shall call you as I please, now have you been able to change anything other then your hands?:: he asked as he slithered down and coiled up in front of her. _

_::My ears and I almost got the tail, but it, almost got stuck so I haven't tried that in a while.:: she blushed as she said this and Tom laughed in a snake like manner. _

_:I see,:: he hissed and then she watched as he transformed back into his human self, sitting indian style in front of her calmly. "It is impressive, it took my five months to get more then half my body scaled, but I was younger then you when I began." _

_She rolled her eyes. "Not all of us can be geniuses Tom," she said. _

"_I wish you'd resist calling me that, but I know a lost cause when I see one," he spat back with a taunting smirk. "How about your Occlumency?" _

"_I've been trying to build the wall up and clear my mind each night, but It's hard, not only the subject itself but I am also trying to study Ancient Runes as well as I can so I can get into the class this year. McGonagall talked to the headmaster for me, she said they'd sit me down to take the owl Halloween and I'd be allowed into the fifth year class until then, assuming I can pass an exam the day after the feast." _

"_Ancient Runes," Tom said and nodded. "It's much more interesting then Divination. What do you plane to do after Hogwarts?" _

"_I had thought of being an Auror but after last year I don't know if I can handle working for such a corrupt ministry."_

"_Don't be an Auror, they're no fun," Tom said with a sneer and she laughed. _

"_Are you whinning?" she asked and Tom glared. _

"_I do not whine." _

"_Sure," she said smirking. "So what did you want to be?" _

"_Isn't it obvious, I wanted to be a Dark Lord," Tom said proudly. "Oh, look I am!" _

_She knew she shouldn't find that funny, but she couldn't help but laugh at Tom's insane type of humor. Soon she stopped and bit her lip before looking up at the Dark Lord. _

"_Is Malfoy a Death Eater?" Tom's eyebrows practically hit his hairline at the question coming out of nowhere. _

"_Why yes Lucius is one, but I thought you knew that Redbird?" Tom asked teasingly. She scuffed, rolling her eyes. _

"_You know that's not what I meant!" she exclaimed. "I meant Draco!" _

"_Ah, yes, I heard Draco moaning about how much of a bitch you were to them in Madam Malkins." _

"_That little twit called me a bitch?" she asked and at Tom's amused look she sighed, and shrugged. "Well, takes one to know one." Tom chuckled. _

"_Why do you want to know?" She licked her lips, her eyes cast to the side and unaware that the action had caught Tom's attention. By the time she'd turned her eyes to meet his he'd cast his eyes away from her lips. _

"_I don't know exactly, but I want to know. The suspense will kill me, I don't like not knowing." Tom nodded in understanding. _

"_So is he?" she asked and Tom laughed again, this time he had a wicked playful light in his red eyes, almost cruel some could say and she shivered slightly, but not from fear. _

"_Why don't you ask him?" _

**xXx**

"Erry! Meredith dear, you need to get up!" Molly called from her doorway. She had a maternal smile on her face, and she realized from the light filtering in and the clock on the wall that it was very early. Not even seven if her sleep deprived mind read it properly. "We have to be ready before ten to get to the station."

Meredith sat up as Molly left and she snickered as she heard the crashing sound from Ron's room and Molly's loud voice. It seemed Ron had probably fallen out the bed from the shock of being woken, not surprising really. One of the good things about being a house guest she was second for the shower since she let Hermione have it first and then it went youngest to oldest after that. It only took her fifteen minute after that to dress in some jeans, one of her knew blouses which she wondered briefly if the wizardry world was aware it was similar to muggle styles, at least it would have been if not for the almost corseted, medieval yet modern style.

The knew ankle length dragon hide boots were after that and the Celtic locket which Sirius had given her the Christmas before his death, and had once belonged to her mother. Though not widely know her mother's family had come from Ireland. After tying her hair back into a braid she packed everything into her trunk, making sure to place the dark arts book on the main bottom under clothes and other books, her invisibility cloak was kept on her though, in a large pocket of her new coat which while magical in style wouldn't raise many question since it looked like a oddly styled trench coat. It just made her realize that the two worlds were not that different from the other.

After one last check in the mirror which shouted at her for mixing so much black with her hair color; "Change right this instant dear, all that black makes you look like a washed out tomato!"

To which she given the birdie to the mirror and left with a stomp in her step. The only black she had on was her coat, and it wasn't pitch black but a charcoal color. Under that her blouse was a purple color, and her hair wasn't that bright! At least she didn't think it was. On the landing she bumped into Ginny, who was returning to her room carrying a pile of freshly laundered clothes.

"I wouldn't go in the kitchen just now," Ginny warned, a wince clear on her face. "There's a lot of Phlegm around."

"I'll be careful not to slip in it." Meredith smiled and let the girl pass before continuing to the kitchen.

Sure enough, when she entered the kitchen it was to find Fleur sitting at the kitchen table, in full flow about plans for her wedding to Bill, while Mrs. Weasley kept watch over a pile of self-peeling sprouts, looking bad-tempered. Meredith had wonder if Fleur noticed and chose to ignore it or if she was simply unaware of the impression she was making. Truthfully she didn't think Fleur was that bad, and thought they were being a bit petty because of her Veela charm but she wasn't in the mood to cause a fight between everyone.

"… Bill and I 'ave almost decided on only three bridesmaids, Ginny, Merry and Gabrielle will look very sweet togezzer. I am theenking of dressing zem in pale gold, pink would of course be 'orrible with Merry and Ginny's 'air!"

On another day she may take offense to something like that but while her hair was darker then any Weasley's – though in the right light not by much – she knew Fleur was right. Pink was a horrendous color on her. At least she'd never come across one that didn't clash with her hair.

"Ah, Merry!" said Mrs. Weasley loudly, cutting across Fleur's monologue. "Good, I wanted to explain about the security arrangements for the journey to Hogwarts. We've got Ministry cars again, and there will be Aurors waiting at the station."

"Is Tonks going to be there?" she asked, quickly taking the Quidditch things she had washed previously for her. Molly frowned and shook her head.

"No, I don't think so, she's been stationed somewhere else from what Arthur said." Meredith sighed, she would have liked to see the Metamorphmagus again before school but if she was half as close to Sirius as Meredith thought she was then she too must be as upset as Meredith herself was.

"She has let 'erself go, zat Tonks," Fleur mused, examining her own stunning reflection in the back of a teaspoon. "A big mistake if you ask."

"Yes, thank you," said Mrs. Weasley tartly, cutting across Fleur again.

"But you look rather beautiful, I'm glad you finally got rid of thozze 'ideous clothze," Fleur said this time cutting off Mrs. Weasley who Meredith could practically see smoke exiting her ears in her anger. Meredith chuckled.

"Thanks, I think," she said. "You look beautiful yourself Fleur." Said girl grinned brightly, and Mr. Weasley sighed before looking to Meredith with a smile and almost apologetic look in her brown eyes.

"You'd better get on, Merry, I want the trunks ready in an hour, if possible, so we don't have the usual last-minute scramble."

And in fact, their departure the following hour was smoother than usual. The Ministry cars glided up to the front of the Burrow to find them waiting, trunks packed; Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, safely enclosed in his traveling basket; and Hedwig; Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon; and Ginny's new purple Pygmy Puff, Arnold, in cages. After everything was placed inside the cars they were on their way, and even though she thought the security was sort of much she didn't speak this out since she thought it would probably not the best thing to say at the time.

By the time they got to the station though they had barely twenty minutes to get to the train.

"Okay you, be good and careful," Molly said kissing each of their cheeks and giving hugs out like they were candy. Meredith smiled, and looked beside her only to see Malfoy standing with his mother some feet away.

"Merry dear, why don't you go first?" She turned to face Mrs. Weasley as Malfoy and his mother disappeared through the barrier. She nodded and turned to her trolly, but not before glaring and shaking off the tight hand of the Auror who had taken her by the arm. She practically hissed at the man.

"I can walk thank you." With that she passed the barrier and stood on the platform with a smile, the sight of the scarlet train making her heart soar. She was finally going home, she'd missed Hogwarts dearly, but then she always did after a summer with her relatives.

Without waiting to consult her grim-faced Auror, Meredith motioned to Ron, Ginny and Hermione to follow her up the platform, looking for an empty compartment.

"Merry, we can't," said Hermione, reminding her. "You and I've got to go to the prefects' carriage first and then patrol the corridors for a bit. We'll have to catch up with Ron and Ginny latter."

"Oh yeah, I forgot," said Meredith as she looked to her bushy haired friend.

"You'd better get straight on the train, all of you, you've only got a few minutes to go," said Mrs. Weasley, consulting her watch. "Well, have a lovely term dears."

After another rushed sets of goodbyes they were safely on the train and after setting up in a compartment close to end of the train Meredith followed Hermione to the Prefects' carriage. It was rather crowded, and it was then she noticed that there were prefects for not only fifth and sixth but also seventh years as well. She supposed there would have to be, but she'd never really paid much attention before.

"Hermione," Cho said as she appeared smiling, her robes already on and proudly wearing a head girl badge. "I'm glad you made it this year as well. Where's Ron..." It was then Cho noticed Meredith and stopped short.

"Meredith? What are you doing here?" she asked and Meredith winced. The two had not been on great terms since Cedric's death. At first Cho had blamed her, and it had been no secret she'd had her first crush on the now dead Hufflepuff seeker. After her fifth year though things had settled between the two and they were civil but that didn't mean Cho liked her much.

"I..." Meredith began and Hermione interrupted, answering for her.

"Meredith is the other Prefect for Gryffindor. You should know it's happened before, two females in one year. Congratulations on making Head Girl Cho," she said and Meredith nodded smiling.

"Yeah, Congratulations." Cho grinned at the two girls and ushered them further into the carriage and towards changing areas.

"You should get changed quickly, so they know who you are," she said and with a quick glance at one another Meredith and Hermione entered separate areas and quickly changed into the robes they snagged from their trunks before heading this way. Hermione was done first, not much of a surprise and Meredith stepped out a moment latter once the prefect badge and Quidditch badge were safely pinned to her robes. Cho gasped.

"Wow, prefect and Quidditch captain. Congratulations Meredith." Meredith could tell it was forced but nonetheless accepted Cho's words and looked around. It seemed everyone had arrived if she had counted right. It appeared that the head boy was some other Hufflepuff she wasn't sure of, she thought his name might be Cody, or Cole but she wasn't sure. Most of the people in the room she didn't recognize. She noticed though that neither Slytherin sixth year prefect was here, and she did recognize Susan Bones. Last year the girl had been vibrant and happy, her long straight hair a light strawberry red color and eyes a blue color but she noticed the girl seemed sad, her eyes had bags under them and shadows. She was paler then before and her hair was limp and her eyes were a darker blue.

"Do you know everyone?" Meredith asked Hermione as they sat down together with other Gryffindor Prefects scattered close by.

"Hmm, the head boy is Cody Saltzman. The sixth year Ravenclaws are Morag MacDougal and Stephan Cornfoot," Hermione began pointing out the blond head boy and two Ravenclaw Prefects in their year. Morag was tanned, cold looking though with long black hair and equally as dark eyes. Stephan Cornfoot who she could admit to having never seen or heard of was a redhead with brown eyes, freckles, sort of gangly with large front teeth.

"The Hufflepuff's are Susan Bones – but you know her – and Jacob Summerby." Meredith looked the chubby brown haired, grayed eyed boy over and then she realized where she'd seen him before.

"He was the one sent to the hospital wing for trying to get past the age line like Fred and George," she stated and Hermione nodded.

"The fifth's years I only know by name, Jason Tripe and Melanie Runcorn are the Gryffindor Prefects..." Tripe was a tall boy with freckles and brown hair, his eyes were dark but she couldn't tell the exact color. Melanie was a black haired tanned girl with pixie features and blue eyes. For a moment she thought she might have seen the girl around Ginny now and then, if they were friends she wasn't sure of. "...the Slytherins are Jasper Harper, and Virginia Montague." Harper was bulky, olive complected and had dark hair and eyes. Montague was the opposite, light blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"The Ravenclaws are Achilles Rosier, and Abigail Wright." Rosier was lanky, had dark hair and light colored eyes, maybe a gray color but she wasn't sure. Wright was petite with brown hair and hazel eyes. "Joshua Summers, and Elizabeth Diggory are the Hufflepuff prefects." Meredith's head snapped in Hermione's direction.

"Diggory? I didn't know Cedric had a sister," she said, her throat dry as she thought of Cedric having not only left behind parents but younger siblings. Hermione sighed sadly.

"He didn't, he has a much younger brother, born last year but Elizabeth is his cousin. She did live with him and her aunt and uncle since her parents died in the first war. I've talked to her once or twice, helped her with her Arithamancy homework." Meredith nodded, taking her eyes away from the girl who looked a bit like Cedric with curly blonde hair and the same gray eyes.

"Anyways the seventh year prefects are Katie Bell, but you know her, and Cormac McLaggen," she began again and Meredith nodded. She knew them well enough, though Katie more so then McLaggen. Cormac had escorted her to the Yule Ball in fourth year much to gossips pleasure but while he had wanted to explore a relationship with her she wasn't ready.

Actually the only relationship she'd had ended badly. In her fifth year she'd dated Theodore Nott behind the school's backs and at the end of the year after having been outed they'd publicly broken up. Some of it because his father was a death eater, the prophets rabble about her sleeping with the enemy didn't help, or going to the dark side. After it all they'd both agreed it just couldn't work, no hard feelings.

"Kyle Avery and Sarah Bole are the Slytherin Prefects. Isobel MacDougal and Alexander Yaxley for Ravenclaw and Finley Mordock and Helen Smith for Hufflepuff." Meredith stared at Hermione perplexed.

"How do you know all of this? Actually since when do we have Seventh Year Prefects?" she asked and Hermione snorted as the meeting Cho and Cormac dismissed them to patrol the train. The two girls stood and exited, heading in the same direction as Susan Bones and Summerby before splitting down another hall.

"I listen and observe. I also am not afraid to mingle with the other houses. Abigail in a Muggle-born like me, and Virginia isn't as uptight about purity as most Slytherins. Surprising considering her family, but then there are rumors that Virginia is only her brothers half-sister and a half-blood to boot." Meredith shook her head.

"Are you, Hermione Jean Granger, spreading gossip?" Hermione smiled and chuckled.

"Oh, shut up Merry."


	8. Hogwarts Again Part II

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

**A/N 3/11/12: I want to first thank everyone who has reviewed, and to apologize for being so late with the update. I was having a bit of a computer problem, and in the process lost a whole chunk of the chapter which I had to rewrite. I will tell you guys now that part of this chapter is based around part of a chapter in the HBP book, the Slug Club since I thought that scene was very important and needed to be showed even if it was rewritten in my own words - though some are from the book but not all of them so be sure to do a bit more then glance through it. Hopefully it's satisfactory. **

**Another thing the sorting song in this chapter belong to MOI! Me, yes I actually took the time to sit down and try and rhyme and song for you guys. it's not long and brilliant like JK's were and I am not a master rhymer but I think it turned out pretty good and got the plot of this story across without giving things away. So let me know what ya think! **

**R&R!**

* * *

><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 7: Hogwarts Again Part II.**

Meredith and Hermione patrolled the corridors for ten minutes, helping some students find lost animals, compartments and simply answering questions from curious first years. They had almost cracked their jaws grinning as one boy asked them if they'd seen his toad, Terrence. After only a few seconds Hermione had calmly summoned the toad for the second year boy while Meredith giggled behind her hand, trying to keep the insane laughter inside. She was sure the boy thought her nuts from the looks he shot her before and while leaving.

"We should head back too Ron and Ginny," Hermione finally said as they passed by a compartment. Looking inside she could easily make out Malfoy inside with Parkinson and Zabini. She glanced back once more before they were out of sight. Tom had been evasive when asked, and he had basically challenged her to ask Malfoy herself. She wasn't one to back down from a challenge either.

"Just Ron actually," Meredith corrected after a moment. "I think Ginny said something about going to see Dean."

"I thought she was seeing Cornor?"

Meredith laughed. "Nah, I thought you knew they broke up last year. Personally I think she can do better then either." As they rounded another corridor they came upon an open compartment. Looking inside they recognized a few of the Slytherins. Seeing that Theo was one of them, and noticing the frightened first years she turned to Hermione with a grim expression on her face.

"Go on, I'll handle this," she said.

Hermione sent her a hesitant worried look, but she knew Meredith wanted to do this alone, mostly because Nott was in there. She had been shocked when the two had come clean as a couple last year and she also knew some of the reason they'd actually ended it was because Nott did support the Dark Lord's purity believes and methods to some degree and Meredith was torn. She'd also heard rumors that he'd not been very understanding about Sirius' death, but Hermione had learned never to put much stock in rumors and Meredith preferred to not talk about it.

After a shaking herself from her thoughts she left, Meredith would be fine, after all she only knew of a few people who could out duel Merry, and they were all older and out of school. Nott wouldn't stand a chance.

"Are the little firsties scared of the big bad Slytherins?" One asked, laughing. Meredith thought the boy, a third or fourth year, may be related to first to flint in some way.

"Hey! What's going on here?" she asked entering the rather large compartment. The first years and the group of four Slytherins turned to look at her. Three of the Slytherins sneering though the leader, Theo just stared with slightly shocked but mostly impassive green eyes – though they were nowhere near the color of her own left green eye.

"Potter," one said, the one who'd spoken the first time. "Come to play hero?"

The three younger years laughed while Theo shot them glares. "Shut up Flint, Derrick, Avery."

Meredith noticed the shocked looks on the others faces and she glared at Theo and his followers with a cross look on her face. She hated bullies, she had been the victim of them all her life and she hated seeing anyone else going through the same thing.

"Why don't you listen to Theo, he after all knows me," she snapped, it was a barely concealed threat, but at the same time it looked as if Flint, Avery and Derrick had a hard time understanding what she meant.

"You're still as beautiful as ever Flower," Theo said smirking and for once Meredith wanted nothing more then to slap the stupid smirk which had once drawn her to him off his face. For some reason she found herself comparing his pale skin to Tom's, wishing his eyes were not the light muted green but a brilliant crimson or even a dark charcoal green color. That his dark brown hair wasn't just dark brown but black and neatly wavy. She gulped, did she like Tom more then she thought?

"Don't call me that," she said. Flower had been a nickname he'd given her since she hadn't really liked the reminder of being called Lil or Lily had. Theo had complained that her name was hard to shorten and that while beautiful did her little justice and had begun calling her Lily or latter Flower. Sometimes he still called her Lily, sometimes Lily-Flower or simply Flower and it served only to piss her off now.

"You weren't complaining last year."

"You sure did turn into a complete jackass you know that Nott? Now get out and leave the first years alone," she said. "Please."

"I don't know, maybe we should just teach you a lesson Potter," Avery suggested drawing his wand but it was quickly plucked from his hands by Theo who sent the younger brunette a sharp look.

"Lets go, there isn't anything of worth here," Nott said, never taking his eyes off hers until they left the compartment. Meredith sighed, shaking her head as she looked back to the first years who seemed calmer now. There were three of them, a girl and two boys.

"Thanks," one of the boys, a blonde with blue eyes said. The boy beside him had brown hair, mousey looking with freckles and brown eyes. The girl was a blonde as well, but with gray/blue eyes. "I'm Briar, Briar Turpin."

"Turpin, Lisa's brother?" Meredith asked. She knew Lisa in passing being in the same year but different houses. She hadn't realized Lisa had a brother but they shared the same sky blue eyes. Lisa had brown hair though.

"Yep," he said proudly.

"I'm Gregory Wyatt," the other boy said shyly.

"And I'm Marla Belmont," the girl said smiling wide. "You're Meredith Potter aren't you! The Girl-Who-Lived!"

Meredith winced slightly but smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm Meredith."

"What's the Girl-Who-Lived?" Gregory asked confused and Meredith grinned. It wasn't everyday someone didn't know who she was and it was instantly she realized he must be a Muggle-Born. While she had never heard of the Belmont family it appeared the girl was either very studious like Hermione or was at least a Half-Blood.

"You can't be serious!" Briar exclaimed. "She's the chosen one, she's a hero! She's going to save us from You-know-Who!"

"Who?" Meredith laughed.

"Look you three have a good train ride and don't be afraid to get an adult or prefect..." Meredith pointed to the badge on her robes so they knew what to look for. "...if someone tries to threaten you again. And Gregory, I'm sure they can give you a book or explain better about who they mean, but because I know they won't say his name. They mean the Dark Lord Voldemort."

Marla and Briar shivered while Gregory just looked confused. With one last wave she left the compartment, shutting the door as she went before heading for the compartment she knew her friends would be at.

**xXx**

Meredith grinned as she saw her friends gathered inside the compartment before entering herself.

"Wish the lunch trolley would hurry up, I'm starving," said Ron longingly, slumping into his seat next to Hermione and rubbing his stomach. Neville, and Luna were also in there and all four looked over at her as she entered and smiled at her. She smiled back though she was aware it was halfhearted and her friends probably noticed right away.

"Hey Merry," Neville said, blushing a little. It wasn't a very well kept secret that Neville had crushed on Meredith for years since their second year, possibly even part of their first year. Some thought he'd moved on since their fourth year but he was still a bit nervous around the redheaded Girl-Who-Lived.

"Salutations," Luna said in her normal dreamy way. Hermione giggled and Meredith smiled largely as she sat next to Neville and across from Ron and Hermione. "Congratulations on making Prefect and Quidditch Captain. Maybe that will keep the nargles at bay a bit more."

"Thanks Luna," she said, chuckling.

"So how was your summer?" Neville asked quickly. Ron snorted at Neville's attempt at remaining cool in his former crushes proximity, and Hermione slapped him upside the head.

"It was okay, sort of strange though," Meredith replied shrugging. She didn't really know what to say, she couldn't and wouldn't share about the strange dreams and her casual chats with the Dark Lord. They'd send her to St. Mungos in a body-bind. So seeing the skeptical looks she was getting and knowing where this could be headed she changed the subject. "I saw Malfoy, he's in a compartment shrieking his Prefect duties."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "I didn't notice."

"Not surprising," Ron snapped. "Malfoy's a baby Death Eater, why would he want to help the firsties?"

"Ronald, I doubt Malfoy is a Death Eater!" Hermione snapped disbelief colored her voice. Meredith wasn't so sure, with Tom she was never sure what to think or what she'd get and she was almost sure Malfoy was marked but to what status he was actually held in the Dark Lord's troupes was what she didn't know.

"But I-I don-don't get it, why isn't he bullying the first years?" Neville asked, a slight stutter in his voice and the others shrugged.

"Dunno," said Ron a contemplative look on his face, his brow furrowed in concentration. Meredith seemed calm, her face showing little emotion besides impassive indifference but her mind was racing. Didn't this look as though Malfoy had more important things on his mind than bullying younger students? If he was a Death Eater then Tom obviously had a task for him to complete, either to prove his worth or as a initiation sort of price.

"Maybe he preferred the Inquisitorial Squad," said Hermione. "Maybe being a prefect seems a bit tame after that."

"I don't know, he seems to like having authority no matter what type it is," Luna spoke, her voice still holding the ethereal sway to it but sounding the most lucid she had since they'd known her. Or so it seemed, she'd probably had many moments like this in the past, they just didn't realize or remember. After all Luna always sounded like a cheerful pixie in a daydream.

"I agree with Luna," Meredith said finally. "Speaking of bullying, I ran into Theo and some of his goons."

"That snake you dated last year?" Ron asked, disgust clear in his voice. Meredith rolled her eyes at her friends prejudice.

"Yeah."

"I didn't think he had goons," Hermione said, she of course remembered she'd been with Meredith at the time before they'd split off.

"He's a Slytherin, of course he does," Meredith scoffed. "I was – "

But before she could expound on her theory, the compartment door slid open again and a breathless third-year girl stepped inside.

"I'm supposed to deliver these to Neville Longbottom and Meredith P-Potter," she faltered, as her eyes met Meredith's and she turned scarlet. She was holding out two scrolls of parchment tied with violet ribbon. Perplexed, Merry and Neville took the scroll addressed to each of them and the girl let out a squawk and scrambled back out of the compartment.

"What is it?" Ron demanded, as Meredith unrolled hers.

"An invitation," said Meredith. "From Slughorn."

**Merry,**

**I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C.**

**Sincerely,**

**Professor H. E. F. Slughorn**

Meredith raised an eyebrow amused, it was rather brave of him to venture to use her nickname but she found she didn't mind much, she had rather liked Slughorn despite his failings.

"I understand why he wants Merry, but what does he want me for?" asked Neville nervously, his brow furrowed and blue eyes confused.

"Well, it can only be you caught his attention somehow Nev," Meredith muttered. "He's a bit of a collector, but he's harmless nonetheless."

Or as harmless as a Slytherin can get, she thought to herself.

"He also knew your parents, we talked a little about them," Meredith said. "Let's go, if you want I can tell you what he told me on the way. Neville grinned and nodded.

"Let's take the cloak," Meredith suggested grabbing it from her bag. "Maybe we'll be able to catch a glimpse of Malfoy."

In hindsight Meredith should have realized trying to navigate the corridors in the invisibility cloak, with Neville, would be impossible: The corridors, which were packed with people on the lookout for the lunch trolley, were packed full of students and as such it was a miracle they got through without being trampled. Meredith mentally berated herself for her foolish idea and replaced the cloak into her bag, reflecting on how it would have been nice for both her and Neville to have been able to use it to be unnoticed.

People were known to stare at her, being Meredith Potter, The Girl-Who-Lived didn't help this but it seemed the staring had gotten progressively worse since she'd boarded the train. Every now and then, students would hurtle out of their compartments to get a better look at her. The exception was Cho Chang, who darted into her compartment when she saw Meredith coming.

Cho and her had never been what one could call friends, they'd been Quidditch rivals, and during fourth year they'd been at odds because of her crush on Cedric. It had ended badly for everyone involved, Cedric was dead by the end of the year and Cho blamed her for it. True she didn't come out and say it to her face but it was the look she got when forced to be around Meredith or when they're eyes met – resentment that she was a alive and Cedric wasn't.

As Meredith passed the window, she saw the Head Girl deep in determined conversation with her friend Marietta, who was wearing a very thick layer of makeup that did not entirely obscure the odd formation of pimples still etched across her face because of her betrayal to the DA. Smirking slightly, Meredith pushed on, praising Hermione as she went.

When they reached compartment C, they saw at once that they were not Slughorn's only invitees, although judging by the enthusiasm of Slughorn's welcome, Meredith was the most warmly anticipated.

"Meredith, dear girl!" said Slughorn, jumping up at the sight of him so that his great velvet-covered belly seemed to fill all the remaining space in the compartment. His shiny bald head and great silvery mustache gleamed as brightly in the sunlight as the golden buttons on his waistcoat. "Good to see you, good to see you! And you must be Mr. Longbottom!"

Neville nodded, looking scared. At a gesture from Slughorn, they sat down opposite each other in the only two empty seats, which were nearest the door.

"Ah, yes you must be Mr. Longbottom. I remember your parents you know, Meredith mentioned them over the summer when we met. Great people they were, I knew your father better then your mother but -" Meredith zoned out as Slughorn and Neville delved into a conversation about his parents. Meredith could see what he was doing, buttering Neville up with details he'd probably never heard before.

After a second Meredith glanced around at their fellow guests. She didn't recognize everyone but she did recognized a Slytherin from their year, a tall black boy with high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes; Blaise Zabini. Theo and Blaise were rather good friends, not the best of but close enough that they told each other certain things. Blaise had been the only Slytherin Theo had actually talked to her about, they'd grown up close together because his father had a secret affair with Blaises' Mother after his mother died having his little sisters.

There were also a seventh-year boy Meredith did not know, the Head Boy – Cody Saltzman she thought Hermione had called him – Susan bones who looked just as depressed as the last time they'd seen her and Cormac McLaggen. It was as she turned to look back to Neville and Slughorn she saw Ginny, squashed in the corner beside Slughorn and looking as though she was not entirely sure how she had got there. Meredith had to wonder the same thing, nothing against Ginny or the Weasley's but they definitely did not have the fame or influence she coined as Slughorn's motive for picking out his favorite students.

"Now, why don't we have a nice introduction?" Slughorn asked Meredith and Neville with a clap of his hands. "Blaise Zabini is in your year, of course —"

"Potter, Longbottom," Zabini said with a slight nod of acknowledgment. It didn't surprise Meredith at all, Zabini was the strong and silent type. Almost to the creepy extent but he was also neutral in all things concerning the war – or so Theo had told her but now days she was unsure of what was fact or make believe. The Slytherins had been a bit nicer to her though since the former relationship had come out publicly but she thought that may have to do with the fact a Gryffindor – and the Golden Princess of all people – had the balls to date a Slytherin and not keep it a secret in the end.

"This is Cormac McLaggen, perhaps you've come across each other — ? He is a Prefect this year, and good gracious, so are you! Congratulations on making Prefect Meredith, and Quidditch Captain, like your father I dear say." Meredith smiled slightly as Slughorn continued. "Of course we have Cody Saltzman, Head boy this year, so I suppose you've met?"

McLaggen and Saltzman both gave a nod of their heads and raised a hand, and Meredith and Neville nodded back at them.

"—and this is Marcus Belby, I don't know whether —?" Belby, who was thin and nervous-looking, gave a strained smile.

"No, can't say we have," Meredith said cutting across Slughorn before smiling and nodding at the Ravenclaw boy. He gave her a startled look, as if he couldn't believe she was noticing him. She never could understand that, she may be the Girl-Who-Lived but she wasn't above acknowledging others.

"— Susan Bones is also in your year I believe, a Hufflepuff don't know if you know each other but she's a Prefect this year as well. I dear say I am quite lucky to share this hour with you Prefects and Head Boy, quite honored." Meredith held but a giggle, she was sure he was simply laying it a bit thick, kissing ass so to say. " - and this charming young lady tells me she knows you!" Slughorn finished.

Ginny grimaced at Meredith and Neville from behind Slughorn's back, and Meredith and Neville both fought to keep straight faces.

"Yes, Ginny. We're good friends," Neville said, his voice much more confident then when he'd entered the compartment.

"Well now, this is most pleasant," said Slughorn cozily. "A chance to get to know you all a little better. Here, take a napkin. I've packed my own lunch; the trolley, as I remember it, is heavy on licorice wands, and a poor old man's digestive system isn't quite up to such things… Pheasant, Belby?"

Belby started and accepted what looked like half a cold pheasant.

"I was just telling young Marcus here that I had the pleasure of teaching his Uncle Damocles," Slughorn told Meredith and Neville, now passing around a basket of rolls. Meredith listened as she took one of the rolls, she'd always thought it rude to decline but it also stemmed from being starved at the Dursley's. She'd learned never to look a gift horse in the mouth, so to say and that meant never turning down free food. "Outstanding wizard, outstanding, and his Order of Merlin most well-deserved. Do you see much of your uncle, Marcus?"

Unfortunately, Belby had just taken a large mouthful of pheasant; in his haste to answer Slughorn he swallowed too fast, turned purple, and began to choke.

"Anapneo," said Slughorn calmly, as if he was used to this happening and pointing his wand at Belby, whose airway seemed to clear at once.

"Not… not much of him, no," gasped Belby, his eyes streaming.

"Well, of course, I daresay he's busy," said Slughorn, looking questioningly at Belby.

"I doubt he invented the Wolfsbane Potion without considerable hard work!"

"I suppose…" said Belby, who seemed afraid to take another bite of pheasant until he was sure that Slughorn had finished with him. "Er… he and my dad don't get on very well, you see, so I don't really know much about…"

His voice tailed away as Slughorn gave him a cold smile and turned to McLaggen instead. Meredith felt a little sorry for the boy, he should have glorified the relationship instead of telling what she assumed to be the truth. It was obvious that Slughorn had approached Belby for his uncle and without the connection it appeared he was rethinking his decision. She thought though that if Slughorn was the Slytherin she thought him to be he'd leave it be in case of Belby reconciling with his uncle or becoming just as influential on his own.

It was in that moment she realized she was either more Slytherin then even she realized or she was spending all to much time with Tom.

"Now, you, Cormac," said Slughorn, "I happen to know you see a lot of your Uncle Tiberius, because he has a rather splendid picture of the two of you hunting nogtails in, I think, Norfolk?"

"Oh, yeah, that was fun, that was," said McLaggen. "We went with Bertie Higgs and Rufus Scrimgeour; this was before he became Minister, obviously —"

"Ah, you know Bertie and Rufus too?" beamed Slughorn, now offering around a small tray of pies; somehow Belby was left out of this but she didn't speak up about it. It wasn't her place or problem. Looking at the little pie in her hands she furrowed her brow. "Now tell me…"

"Uh, excuse me sir but may I ask what sort of pies these are?" Slughorn turned to her, shocked but not looking upset at being interrupted. He smiled slightly a light in his beady eyes.

"Why my dear, they're Strawberry rhubarb pie I believe," he said and Meredith winced.

"I thought so," she muttered. "I'm sorry sir but I'm allergic to Strawberries, but thank you anyways." She placed the miniature pie onto the table and raised an eyebrow as Belby dived for it. Slughorn look torn, like he'd failed a test of some sort before smiling brightly.

"No need dear, here maybe one of these?" Slughorn said holding out another tray of deserts. "Cauldron cakes, pudding perhaps, or Treacle Tart. Your mother was partial of Treacle Tart if I recall." Meredith fought back a burning laughter at the situation before kindly accepting a Treacle Tart. After all she wasn't one to decline a Treacle Tart, even if it was offered by Snape. Though if she did it would probably be the last thing she'd ever do in the land of the living.

"Now, where was I -"

Listening to Slughorn talk to each person present she was sure she was correct. Everyone here seemed to have been invited because they were connected to somebody well known or influential — everyone except Ginny that is and then she knew Meredith so that could have been the reason. Zabini, who was interrogated after McLaggen, turned out to have a famously beautiful witch for a mother.

Though she had already known that hearing it from Theo but from what Meredith could make out, Arachne Zabini had been married seven times, each of her husbands dying mysteriously and leaving her mounds of gold. She had to wonder if the woman's parents had hated her enough to give her such a name, if she was correct it was the name of the woman Athena turned into a spider in Greek Mythology, and how Theo's dad was rather lucky to never have married the woman – though lucky may have nothing to do with it.

Susan of course was recognized for her Aunt, who unfortunately had been killed that summer and she suspected that even with Amelia Bones gone Susan still had some power in the Ministry, possibly because of her being the last of the Pureblooded Bones and unless she had two sons and gave one the name of Bones the last to ever bare the name. Saltzman came as a surprise, he was a half-blood but his father was a long since Pureblooded man originating from Germany but had immigrated to Britain when his father had been a child and had stayed even with the threat of Voldemort.

His great-grandfather had been one of Germanic Minsters for Magic and so he still had ties to the Germanic Magical Ministry and even this one since his father worked as an Unspeakable.

It was Neville's turn next: This was a very uncomfortable ten minutes, for Neville's parents, well-known Aurors, had been tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange and a couple of Death Eater cronies. At the end of Neville's interview, Meredith had the impression that Slughorn was reserving judgment on Neville, yet to see whether he had any of his parents' flair.

She thought he might be leaning towards the affirmative since the man had given the boy a rather sad, yet pitying look after. He had also discussed both Alice and Frank with Neville when they'd arrived, but she didn't know if she liked Slughorn blatantly using her friends, when it was her it was one thing but Neville and Ginny were another.

In the end she reserved her judgment for latter, after all so far Slughorn seemed pretty harmless. He could manipulate and scheme with the best of the Slytherins but his bark was worse then his bite, so far anyways.

"And now," said Slughorn, shifting massively in his seat with the air of a compere introducing his star act. "Meredith Potter! Where to begin? I feel I barely scratched the surface when we met over the summer!" He contemplated Meredith for a moment as though she was a particularly large and succulent piece of pheasant, then said, "'The Chosen One,' they're calling you now!"

Meredith said nothing. Belby, McLaggen, and Zabini were all staring at him.

"Of course," said Slughorn, watching Meredith closely, "there have been rumors for years… I remember when… well — after that terrible night — Lily and James, such a sad night — and you survived — and the word was that you must have powers beyond the ordinary —"

Zabini gave a tiny little cough that was clearly supposed to indicate amused skepticism. An angry voice burst out from behind Slughorn.

"Yeah, Zabini, because you're so talented… at posing!"

"Gin," Meredith said. "Leave Zabini alone, I'm sure he is smart enough to do more then pose but then he isn't much without Malfoy backing him is he?"

"Oh dear!" chuckled Slughorn comfortably, looking around at Ginny, who was glaring at Zabini around Slughorn's great belly, and then at Meredith who seemed oddly calm even though her eyes had a frosty look in them as she stared at the Slytherin boy.

"You want to be careful, Blaise! I saw this young lady perform the most marvelous Bat-Bogey Hex as I was passing her carriage! I wouldn't cross her! And Merry, well if she's as much like her mother as I think she'll be a force to be reckoned with, got a sharp tongue, quite the venomous wit she does." He seemed to stress the words Sharp and venomous and she knew he was giving the boy a hint about her sorting, but she also knew the boy would never figure it out and so did Slughorn if the wink he sent in her direction was anything to go by.

Zabini merely looked contemptuous.

"Anyway," said Slughorn, turning back to Meredith. "Such rumors this summer. Of course, one doesn't know what to believe, the Prophet has been known to print inaccuracies, make mistakes — but there seems little doubt, given the number of witnesses, that there was quite a disturbance at the Ministry and that you were there in the thick of it all!"

Meredith sat and endured the rest of the time there, talking of the Department of Mysteries and by the end she was sure the man had a new found respect for Neville and Ginny. If the stars in his eyes were anything to go by, if he wasn't careful he'd out twinkle Albus Dumbledore himself.

So the afternoon wore on with more anecdotes about illustrious wizards Slughorn had taught, all of whom had been delighted to join what he called the "Slug Club" at Hogwarts. Meredith could not wait to leave, but couldn't see how to do so politely. Finally the train emerged from yet another long misty stretch into a red sunset, and Slughorn looked around, blinking in the twilight.

"Good lord, it's getting dark already! You'd better go and change into your robes, all of you who haven't already. Saltzman, let your mother know know I've said hello and feel free to stop by. Susan, my apologies about your Aunt Amelia, she was a wonderful woman, brightest of her year if I recall. McLaggen, you must drop by and borrow that book on nogtails. Meredith, Neville, Blaise — any time you're passing feel free to stop by for a chat or some tea. Same goes for you, miss," he twinkled at Ginny. "Well, off you go, off you go!"

It almost seemed as if the ones there were eager to go, though Belby looked a bit put out and Saltzman was seemingly praying to someone in thanks. It was obvious while he didn't mind Slughorn wasn't all the social and the get together had put his nerves under a strainer.

"Susan, wait Susan!" Meredith called as she jogged to catch up with the Hufflepuff.

"Meredith, uh hi," Susan said as she stopped and turned to greet the other Prefect. Meredith gave the girl a small smile.

"Look I wanted to say I'm sorry about your aunt. I don't have an Aunt that I'd care about losing but I know what it's like to loose family, my Godfather died over the summer. If you need anything, I'm here." Susan gave her a small smile, and nodded.

"Thanks Merry," she said. "I'll see you around."

"Well she was a bit depressed," Ginny said with a sigh. "Poor Susan. I knew Amelia Bones, she was friends with Dad."

"I never met her personally, but I heard she was a fair woman," Neville agreed. Meredith sighed, cursing Tom for killing the woman but knowing anything she'd said or done wouldn't have changed anything.

"Move Potter," a voice said from behind the trio and as he pushed past Meredith into the darkening corridor, Zabini shot her a filthy look that Meredith returned with interest. She, Ginny, and Neville followed Zabini back along the train.

"I'm glad that's over," muttered Neville. "Strange man, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is a bit," said Meredith, thinking of what to do next. She had thoughts of point blank following Zabini back to where Malfoy probably was and asking the ferret faced boy if he was a Death Eater but she had a feeling that wouldn't end well. "How come you ended up in there, Ginny?"

"He saw me hex Zacharias Smith," said Ginny with a smug look and shrug. "You remember that idiot from Hufflepuff who was in the D.A.? He kept on and on asking about what happened at the Ministry and in the end he annoyed me so much I hexed him — when Slughorn came in I thought I was going to get detention, but he just thought it was; it really good hex and invited me to lunch! Mad, eh?"

"Better reason for inviting someone than because their mother's famous," said Meredith, scowling at the back of Zabini's head, "or because of their uncle —"

An idea occurred to her, a stupid, reckless and potentially dangerous idea but it could work out if she worked it right. After all it may be the so called Slytherin sixth year compartment but no one ever said it belonged to Slytherins, did they?

"Look I've got to do something, I'll see you two later," said Meredith looking at the two before making sure her cloak was still on her person and walking faster to keep up with Zabini.

"But where are you going!" Neville called. Meredith waved back, as if waving off his question.

"Later!" called Meredith, darting after Zabini as quietly as possible, though the rattling of the train made such caution almost pointless.

"What are you doing Potter?" Zabini spat as he abruptly stopped and spun around. Meredith thanked years of Quidditch reflexes that she didn't crash into the taller dark skinned boy.

The corridors were almost completely empty now. Nearly everyone had returned to their carriages to change into their school robes and pack up their possessions. While this was convenient to Meredith it also made her more paranoid side rage about giving the supposed enemy a witness-less corridor to do some nasty spell work if he so desired.

"What makes you think I'm doing something Zabini?" Meredith asked coolly. "As far as I know the corridors are free to anyone whom – who -" she shook her head. "- whatever. To whoever wishes to walk them."

Zabini snorts, giving her a penetrating look that makes her very aware he doesn't buy a word of her excuse. She rolls her eyes.

"Look Zabini, I wish to snoop in the business of your good ferret, Malfoy. We can do this the easy way or the hard way – personally I'm just itching to try out some new spells I've learnt over the summer, so be my guest." Zabini laughed.

"Slughorn was right, you've got a witty mouth on you. It makes me wonder how you made it into Gryffindor at all Potter." She glared consistently, not even bothering to humor him with a answer. She may have told Slughorn but she didn't want the fact she was supposed to be a Slytherin had she not convinced the Sorting Hat otherwise to be school gossip by dinner.

"Follow me Potter," Zabini finally said as he turned and continued. The walk was short and she shot him a look as he held open the compartment door for her and then entered himself. It didn't even occur to her until then she was walking into enemies territory without the security of wearing her invisibility cloak. From the looks of some others the car it wasn't only her who thought her a bit stupid.

"Having second thoughts Potter?" She sneered at the boy, placing her best mask up that would at least let her blend in relativity well – it probably would have a better effect had she worn the Slytherin robes instead of having the almost blinding black, gold and scarlet robes on. Unfortunately her red hair made the scarlet and gold stand out even more, almost clashing.

"You wish." She turned to those in the compartment and keeping the mask of indifference off she looked over each of them. Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe sat together, the latter having a comic in hand – a wizardry addition apparently – Oddly enough neither looked as disgusted upon seeing her as she expected. Malfoy was almost red in the face and Parkinson had a unreadable expression but her eyes kept flashing through emotions quicker then she could concentrate and decrypt them.

"What is Potter doing here?" Malfoy spat. Meredith smirked.

"What's wrong Malfoy, surprised?" she asked mockingly and she almost didn't catch the slight upturn of the other Slytherin's lips at her quip.

"Why should I be surprised with a slag like you, Potter?" Pansy's eyes flew to Draco's in her surprise but to there even further surprise Meredith didn't seem as if she cared.

"Down boy, I just want to mingle, snoop, talk – you get the idea ferret." Zabini collapsed into his own seat looking ruffled, Crabbe returned to his comic but it almost seemed as if he wasn't trying to pay attention to it but to the battle of wits going on in front of him. "Hows your mother, you know I think technically speaking we're cousins."

It was a chain reaction as all eyes darted to her, Malfoy's practically jumping a foot in the air, his face a mix of rage and disbelief. She chuckled playfully, sitting down beside Blaise.

"Yeah, My grandmother is Dorea Black, isn't that your mother's maiden name Drakie?" Pansy giggled and Malfoy snarled.

"Watch your tongue Mudblood!" she chuckled.

"Not a Mudblood little Dragon. My mother may have been a Muggle-Born but my father was a rather influential Pureblood. Anyways were was I, oh Dorea Black. I think she was your mother's aunt's aunt, so we're...third cousin? Fourth, somewhere in there, how does it feel Malfoy being so closely related to me?" she asked and laughed as Malfoy sat back down glaring at the redhead in front of him.

"Fine then_ Cousin_," he sneered. "What do you want?"

"Haven't I answered that?"

"She's here to snoop in the business of our good ferret, her words not mine," Zabini answered and Malfoy shot him a look.

"Why did you bring her here, and let her in Blaise?" Malfoy asked and Zabini shrugged.

"She's rather witty, I like her well enough."

"Getting lower standards Blaise?" Pansy asked, smirking, and Malfoy, sniggering, lay back down across two seats with his head in Pansy Parkinson's lap. Pansy stroke the sleek blond hair off Malfoy's forehead, smirking as she did so, as though anyone would have loved to have been in her place.

The lanterns swinging from the carriage ceiling cast a bright light over the scene so Meredith didn't have a problem spotting details.

"What did Slughorn want?" Malfoy suddenly asked.

"Just trying to make up to well-connected people," said Zabini, shrugging. "Not that he managed to find many."

This information did not seem to please Malfoy. "Who else had he invited?" he demanded.

"McLaggen from Gryffindor," said Zabini.

"Oh yeah, his uncle's big in the Ministry," said Malfoy.

"— someone else called Belby, from Ravenclaw…"

"Not him, he's a prat!" said Pansy and Meredith had to wonder how the black haired girl knew Belby.

"— and Longbottom, Bones, Saltzman, Potter here, and that Weasley girl," finished Zabini. Meredith watched in amusement as Malfoy sat up very suddenly, knocking Pansy's hand aside.

"He invited Longbottom? Longbottom of all people!"

"Well, I assume so, as Longbottom was there," said Zabini indifferently.

"I think you underestimate him," Meredith said and Malfoy glared.

"No one asked you Potter," he snarled, before turning back to Zabini. "What's Longbottom got to interest Slughorn?" Zabini shrugged.

"Potter, precious Potter, obviously he wanted a look at 'the Chosen One,'" sneered Malfoy, moving from Longbottom onto Meredith. "but that Weasley girl! What's so special about her?"

"Ginny's rather talented, and thank you Malfoy," Meredith said smiling and Draco raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You think I'm precious." the others chuckled as Malfoy sneered.

"Blow it out your arse, Potter."

"A lot of boys like her, Potter too," said Pansy after a moment, watching Malfoy and Meredith out of the corner of her eyes. "Even you think she's good-looking, don't you, Blaise, and we all know how hard you are to please! Or maybe you just like redheads?"

"I wouldn't touch a filthy little blood traitor like her whatever she looked like. Same goes for Potter, at least not until she realizes just who she should respect, her superiors," said Zabini coldly, and Pansy looked pleased while Meredith glared venomously at the dark skinned boy. Malfoy sank back across Pansy's lap and allowed her to resume the stroking of his hair.

"If you want my respect, Zabini, get on your knees and beg for it," Meredith spat. "Maybe if I'm in a forgiving mood I'll let you escape unscathed."

"I think I'll make a Slytherin out of you yet Potter," Zabini said with an approving glance.

"Well, I pity Slughorn's taste. Maybe he's going a bit senile. Shame, my father always said he was a good wizard in his day. My father used to be a bit of a favorite of his. Slughorn probably hasn't heard I'm on the train, or —"

"I wouldn't bank on an invitation," said Zabini. "He asked me about Nott's father when I first arrived. They used to be old friends, apparently, but when he heard he'd been caught at the Ministry he didn't look happy, and Nott didn't get an invitation, did he? I don't think Slughorn's interested in Death Eaters."

Malfoy looked angry, but forced out a singularly humorless laugh.

"Speaking of Death Eaters..." Meredith muttered loud enough for them to hear and they all looked at her with weary yet shocked gazes.

"Here to spy Potter?" Pansy asked slowly. Meredith snorted.

"Please, the old man can use his own skills and other pawns to spy on the Dark. I'm simply curious," she said trying to look innocent but she was sure the Slytherins could see through the mask.

"So that's what you wanted," Zabini said chuckling and raised his left sleeve.

"BLAISE!" Pansy cried as if he'd committed some scandalous atrocity. The dark skin was bare.

"Whatever, don't expect me to show you my arm Potter," Pansy said and Crabbe and Goyle nodded in agreement.

"Like I care who's side your on Parkinson. I've been issued a challenge and I doubt our mutual acquaintance is going to tell me anytime soon so I have to ask or the suspense will eat me alive," she said and looked into the silvery/gray eyes of Malfoy. "So, are you a Death Eater Draco?"

"Like I'm going to tell you," Malfoy said and then looking out the window he sighed. "I can see Hogwarts, we should change into our robes." Meredith sighed and stood as Malfoy did along with the others. Instead of leaving though she walked closer to Malfoy, her eyes never leaving his. He looked at her strangely, backing up some.

"What is your problem Potter?" Pansy asked, not liking the proximity Potter was to her boyfriend. Meredith smiled, Zabini and the others couldn't help but notice her hips swayed a certain way as she did so. Soon Malfoy's back was against the wall.

"Nothing much," she said. "You know this would go a whole lot easier if you simply told me Draco." She practically purred his name as she invaded his personal bubble, her hand trailing from his neck down his chest. He choked on his tongue before regaining his cool and glaring.

"Go away." She laughed.

"That's the best you've got? We'll I gave you a chance." She turned walking to the door, nodding at Zabini on her way and opening the compartment.

"Get ready Malfoy," Meredith said smirking. "Game on."

**xXx**

Meredith stared up at the great hall ceiling. It was good to be home, she had missed Hogwarts more then she even realized. The smell of wonderful food was also inviting, but what she missed the most was the warm loved feeling she always received upon walking into the castle. She wondered if Tom had felt similar when he had been a student?

"Do you see it?"

"It's a hat! I'll bloody kill her, Sari said it was a freakin' battle to see where you were sorted!"

"A battle?"

"A-huh, a giant or troll or something – I wasn't really paying that much attention to tell the truth."

Meredith snorted as she watched the little first years line up and she smiled at her friends.

"Were we that small?" she asked and Hermione smiled while Ron snorted.

"Me and Mione might notta been but you sure were scrawny Mer," he said and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Oh honestly Ronald, it's 'not have been' not notta and my name is Hermione not Mione," Hermione corrected and Meredith smirked.

"So whens the wedding?" Ron and Hermione both snapped around to stare at her.

"MEREDITH!" they cried and she broke into laughter as the hat sprang apart and into song. Some first years jumped back as it did so, shocked that the hat could move or talk at all.

"I hope the song is cheerier this year," she said and Hermione and Ron sighed, nodding.

**Over a thousand years ago I was created,**

**To sort you young ones, or so said my creator. **

**He was a man, with hair like blood **

**but his heart showed true and brave, or so I'm told.**

**With him his friends, he created this school, **

**and so here you are awaiting to sit upon this stool. **

**Times are dark, I must say, and unity I've sang must be obeyed. **

**Sure enough the light is lost but a wise man once said, **

**there can be no light without dark. **

**So you see I've sang this before, **

**yet no one listens and so I sing it once more. **

**But I've digressed, I've lost my point,**

** for my job is not to preach but sort. **

**So step on up and I'll make this quick. **

**No more chit-chat, let's start this off with a kick. **

**You may belong to one of four, **

**houses which I must deplore, **

**have nothing to do with a heart of pure. **

**Kind ol' Gryffindor from whom I'm sown, **

**you might be just brave enough to go. **

**Or witty Ravenclaw, with her diadem of gold**

** – though excuse me it was silver, I just needed to rhyme –**

** you'll find room to spread your wings given the time. **

**Maybe loyal Hufflepuff, who cared for any and all? **

**But be not deceived for those badgers can weave a mean deceit. **

**Or those sneaky Slytherins, with eyes set for their prize,**

** but be warned it's not always the outside that tells the truth from the lies. **

**So put me on, and sit a spiel. **

**I'll sort you good and proper; **

**but only time will tell. **

"When I call your name please step up to the stool and I will place the hat upon your head," McGonagall called as she held her scroll of names in front of her.

"Abbott, Eben!" a small boy with a blond bowl cut stepped up, shaking the whole way.

"Hannah's little brother," Neville said from beside Ron and Ginny who were across from her and Hermione. "She told me he started this year."

"GRYFFINDOR!" The table burst into applauds, Hannah from Hufflepuff was even standing up as she cheered for her little brother ran towards the red and gold table with big doe brown eyes.

"Allen, Rosaline!" Meredith looked away from the little brown haired girl in pigtails as she smiled at her friends.

"Well at least the song wasn't as depressing this year." Her friends snort and laugh softly as the hat opens it mouth and screams;

"RAVENCLAW!"

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><p><strong>AN: So I realized after I didn't do the whole sorting and as such ya don't know what houses Briar, Gregory and Marla were sorted into so I'll tell ya since they may show up again. Briar Turpin was sorted into Gryffindor, as was Marla Belmont. Gregory was sorted into Hufflepuff.**


	9. Dungeon Bats Pretending To Be Princes'

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

**A/N 3/17/12: Thanks for all the reviews guys! This chapter was a bit of a bitch to write, since I wasn't sure if I was going to go into the Potions lesson this chapter or next. I decided on next chapter which might be shorter or longer depending on how I decide to go about it. Hopefully it won't take me as long though. Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter! Remember feed my muse and ego by reviewing!  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 8: Dungeon Bats Pretending To Be Princes'.**

"_Did you enjoy the welcoming feast at least?" Tom asked as she sat in front of Meredith on the floor. They'd been in the dreamscape for what felt like hours now and after the routine practice with her animagus form he's sat with her on the floor – of course they had cushions under them since he was far to prideful to sit on the hard ground – and began Occlumency training. He was relatively impressed, even with the damage Severus had caused during the sham of lessons last year she seemed to be catching on pretty fast._

"_It was alright, could have done without the news that Snape was now teaching my favorite subject," Meredith said with a sigh as she opened her eyes. _

_She smiled, blushing a little as she looked away from Tom's handsome face. She didn't understand but the moment she'd arrived here she'd had the strange urge to run and hug the Dark Lord and then the awkward butterfly's began scrambling around in her stomach. She wished she could talk to Hermione or Ginny about this but she didn't know how she could do that without scaring or freaking them out. It wasn't everyday one developed a crush or fluffy-bunny feelings for evil dark lords. _

"_Severus has always wanted the job but I've never thought him much of a teacher," Tom said, amused at the flushed look Meredith had adopted during their time here. "You have my sympathies." _

_She amazed him, she wasn't afraid of him and even when he had showed up in his other form or tried scaring her with it she didn't do more then flinch and shoot him annoyed looks. Once she had even laughed and went back to trying to turn more then her hand into a paw. She was simply an enigma that he loved trying to figure out, and he would admit he had no desire to kill her now, Nagini wasn't helping matters though. _

_He'd caught her muttering to herself about grand-hatchlings more then once and the 'red she-snake' as she called Meredith most times. All he needed right now was the added stress of his snake conspiring to play matchmaker. _

"_Well at least something good came out of this," Meredith began a savage smile appearing slowly over her face. Tom thought it rather impressive but was also reminded slightly of Bellatrix, the look of sadistic pleasure in her eyes didn't help the comparison either. Though considering her blood ties to the Blacks he shouldn't be surprised. _

"_Thanks to the jinx he'll only last a year, personally I'm crossing my fingers for a particularly painful death." She let out a little giggle and Tom shook his head. _

"_I think you've been spending to much time around me little Redbird," he said chuckling softly and ignoring the eye roll of annoyance from the redhead. _

"_I don't know, I think I was a little disturbed and mad before that." _

"_We're all a little mad, Merry." _

_Tom raised an eyebrow as Meredith burst into laughter. He watched as she slowly moved to sitting beside him and almost without even realizing it had ended up with her head resting on his shoulder. The shock of her warmth and lily and apple scented hair made him catch his breathe and he was sure his eyes were all but dilated. _

"_Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter," Meredith muttered and then she craned her neck without moving her head up to meet red eyes. "I bet you'd make a good Mad Hatter, Tom." _

**xXx**

"Mer, wake up!" Hermione said once more, her voice louder and Meredith's eye snapped open and she shot up, pulling her wand out from under her pillow in the same instant. Hermione blinked at the Holly wand which was pointed at her throat.

"Meredith," Hermione said backing away slowly and Meredith cursed under her breathe as she lowered the wand and rubbed her face to get the sleep out of her eyes. "Sorry, but it's almost time for breakfast and don't you have an exam for runes?"

"Bloody hell," Meredith swore as she jumped out of bed and after grabbing her robes from the foot of her bed trunk she gave Hermione and quick one armed hug and rushed thank you before rushing into the bathroom. Hermione sighed, shaking her head and turned to go but something caught her eyes in the open trunk. Half hidden by the cloak was a thick book, that at first looked like an everyday history book.

"Hmm, I don't think I've read that one," she said to herself and moved to pick it up, she also noticed two other books under it. One was the potions book she'd shown them when they were looking up the luck potion as a theory to Trelawney's predictions – which after looking up she knew was very rare and borderline illegal to own since the early sixties – and an animagus book. They didn't look new either, probably owned previously.

Advanced and Unbridged History to Magic and it's Famous People, by Newton Brunswick; the tittle was long but very interesting. "She won't care if I just take a look," Hermione said and she began to open the book but was startle when she heard Meredith behind her.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" Hermione dropped the book back into the trunk and stood, looking abashed as she faced her friend.

Meredith had changed into her robes and pulled back her wavy-unruly red hair back away from her face with a sparkly green butterfly clip that she remembered Ginny had gifted the girl in their third year, so it was a half up do which her friend seemed to prefer. She wore very little makeup, a little lip gloss, mascara and eyeliner was usually all she used liking the natural look apposed to the full make-up look of their other dorm-mates. She also wore the Celtic pendent which had once belonged to Lily Potter from what Hermione had been told.

What she didn't notice was the almost hysterical look in the red haired girls eyes. She had seen the book her friend almost opened and if she had been allowed to open it she would realized the book was no more a history book then Tom was a lord of puppies and bunnies.

"I-um..I'm sorry, it's just that book, I wasn't..." Hermione was at a lost for words and Meredith smiled and walked to the trunk and shut it, using her wand to set the jinxes in case someone tried to get into it that wasn't her and turned to Hermione who had a down trodden look on her face.

"Don't sweat it Hermione, I'm not mad. I'll owl order you a copy of the book just promise not to share it with anyone. It would cause questions about how I got it and I don't want the prophet to have a field day over a history book that's rare enough to be considered barely legal." Hermione smiled brightly and after grabbing their bags Meredith and Hermione met Ron in the common room.

"What took you two so long?" Ron asked as he stood from the couch and the girls rolled their eyes at the youngest Weasley boy. Not bothering to answer him Meredith, unable to keep her suspicions to herself and wanting a second opinion, lost no time in explaining things to Hermione and Ron.

"You actually asked Malfoy if he was a Death Eater?" Ron asked, bewildered. Hermione was different she had a look of outrage on her face.

"Meredith Lily Potter, you can't go around asking people if they're - " Looking around at the observing eyes of other students she lowered her voice and leaned closer to her two friends. " - _Death Eaters_!"

"I took a chance, besides it seem to amuse them to an extent," Meredith said with a shrug and Ron snorted.

"That's not the point, why would You-know-Who mark Malfoy?" she asked. "He's sixteen, not even a fully trained wizard! Not to mention it's Draco Malfoy we're talking about -"

"But he was obviously showing off for Parkinson, wasn't he?" interjected Ron quickly, before Hermione could say anything more. Meredith nodded, a bit hesitant.

"Well," she said uncertainly, "I don't know…he really didn't say much incriminating himself. Like I said I interrupted and brought up Death Eaters after Zabini mentioned Slughorn not being interested in them –"

"Don't blame him, slimy bastards," Ron spat, interrupting his friend.

Meredith winced, if she really was having seconds thoughts on the war, and Tom then what would happen if something happened and she actually joined Tom? Not that she was, she was strictly neutral but Ron's words worried her. Would he shun her for not caring? It was one reason she was unwilling to admit to having a new found fascination with the Dark Arts – which she completely blamed on the Dark Lord.

"Anyways, I don't know what would have been said but I doubt he'd have given himself away with me there. Not to mention he and Parkinson looked pretty comfy to me, I don't think he needs to do much show boating to woo the girl."

"So you think we should keep an eye on Malfoy?" Ginny asked as she joined the trio, startling them.

"Gin, how long have you been there?" Ron asked, put out.

"How much did you hear?" Hermione asked after slapping Ron upside the head for being rude. If Ginny had heard them who else had?

"Not much, just the big about Parkinson and Malfoy, and show boating." Ginny shrugged and sat down on the arm of the couch beside Meredith. "So about my question, we should keep an eye on him?"

"Not exactly," said Meredith, but she could not press the point to much as she noticed the many people trying to listen in to their conversation, not to mention staring at her and whispering behind their hands.

"It's rude to point," Ron snapped at a particularly minuscule first-year boy as they joined the queue to climb out of the portrait hole. The boy, who had been muttering something about Meredith behind his hand to his friend, promptly turned scarlet and toppled out of the hole in alarm. Ron sniggered. "I love being a sixth year. And were going to be getting free time this year. Whole periods when we can just sit up here and relax."

"Ron, you shouldn't antagonize the first years like that," Meredith said shaking her head and holding out a hand to help the boy up. She watched in amusement as the boy jumped up and grinned as he stared at their joined hands. She raised an eyebrow as the boy let go and turned scarlet before running to his friends and with a puffed out pride began to gloat. Probably about having touched the Girl-Who-Lived, or some nonsense.

Ginny giggled at the whole thing while Hermione had her appalled face turned to scold Ron.

"We're going to need that time for studying, Ron!" said Hermione, as they set off down the corridor.

"Yeah, but not today," said Ron. "Today's going to be a real loss, I reckon."

"Hold it!" said Hermione, throwing out an arm and halting a passing fourth year, who was attempting to push past her with a lime-green disk clutched tightly in his hand. "Fanged Frisbees banned, hand it over," she told him sternly.

"Oh come on!" the fourth year cried and Meredith raised an eyebrow at the boy.

"Sorry, you know the rules," she said with a shrug and the scowling boy handed over the snarling Frisbee, ducked under Hermione's arm, and took off after his friends. Ron waited for him to vanish, then tugged the Frisbee from Hermione's grip.

"Excellent, I've always wanted one of these."

Hermione's objection was drowned by a loud giggle; Lavender Brown had apparently found Ron's remark highly amusing. She continued to laugh as she passed them, glancing back at Ron over her shoulder. Ron looked rather pleased with himself.

"Lavender Brown, that's a whole knew low," Ginny said looking from her smug brother to the retreating back of the curly haired dirty blonde.

"What's that supposed to mean!" Ron exclaimed, confused and a bit angry. Meredith laughed shaking her head.

"According to everyone Lavender is the schools slut tank – she's done almost everyone who she dates and some she doesn't," Meredith said. "There is actually a list for this, she right above Cho Change, Marietta Edgcomb and some other girls from seventh and fifth year."

"Of course they're all gossiped rumors, they can hardly be trusted," Hermione butted in confidently.

"Except for Lavender, she put herself on that list," Ginny and Meredith said together and Ron looked at them as if they were insane.

"You girls are mental!" he cried.

"So I have a exam to take with McGonagall, so I've got to go," Meredith said as they stopped outside the great hall. "I might not be in class today but I'm hoping the exam isn't ridiculously long. So I'll see you latter."

"Good luck!" Ginny and Hermione called as she darted off to the empty classroom that McGonagall had dictated she be at promptly the morning after the feast. Before disappearing around a corner she sent back a offhanded wave.

**xXx**

"Professor?" Meredith asked as she entered the empty classroom. Though it wasn't so empty now, it was set up like any other classroom, but only had one large students desk in the center of the room. It made her wonder if this room had been used before to hold student exams with others in her situation. Professor McGonagall looked up from her conversation with another teacher, plump woman, rather short and reminding her of Mrs. Weasley but unlike the Weasley Matriarch this woman was younger and darker complected. She had curly black hair and sparkling jade colored eyes.

Meredith didn't know if it was because she hadn't really paid attention or if the woman was new but she didn't remember seeing her around Hogwarts in the last five years.

"Ah Potter," McGonagall began. "Good, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up. This is Professor Babbling, the Ancient Runes professor. Since I have to give out schedules today she will be here to monitor your exam." McGonagall picked up a few parchments from the desk in front of her and walked over to where Meredith had sat down. First she sat the exam itself down and then began to speak again.

"Now as for your schedule. I was quite pleased with your OWLS scores, Transfiguration especially. You take after your mother in that area, she barely scrapped by with an E if I recall. Now, I understand it was your ambition to become an Auror and you know you need to take Potions for that, so I am at a lost as to why you have not?" she asked. Meredith blushed slightly.

"I did, I'm sort of rethinking that this year. I just don't know if being an Auror is right for me anymore but I did want to take Potions this year anyways, but you said I needed an O to get into the class -" Meredith trailed off, it was all true. She liked potions despite Snape's dismal teaching skills and now that Snape wasn't teaching it she really wanted to give it another go but she was under the impression her grades were not at the proper level.

"I see," McGonagall said, pursing her lips. "That would be true, however Professor Slughorn accepts E levels into his classroom. So I shall put you down for that, unfortunately you don't have the right grade for Astronomy anymore nor Divination -" the last subject was said with a look of disdain. "-and you opted out of Care of Magical Creatures. Here is your schedule Ms. Potter and good luck," she said giving her his schedule and nodding at the Ancient Runes professor before leaving the room.

"Before we begin Ms. Potter I just wanted to say how excited I am to see how you preform in my class. Be it with the fifth years or with the Sixth, I am looking forward to it," she said smiling and then waved her wand and started the timer set for an hour, though she had to wonder if she'd really need that long. It wasn't until she started she realized, yes, she would need that long.

Exactly 50 minutes latter she finished, with ten minutes to spare and Professor Babbling smiled and took the exam booklet.

"I'll have this graded by tomorrow, if all is well you should start classes on Wednesday." Meredith nodded and stood, grabbing her bags and left for the common room – Professor Babbling left for her classroom to take over the last ten minutes of class. She had recommended reading some of the course work Hermione would undoubtedly have after class in case she was able to pass with an E and get into the sixth year class.

Thankfully Meredith felt pretty confident she at least got that, she wouldn't hold her breathe for an O though. She was good but she wasn't that good, especially since it had been a tough month of cramming to get to where she was now.

The common room, which was empty apart from a half dozen seventh years, including Katie Bell, the only remaining member of the original Gryffindor Quidditch team from five years ago was relatively quiet, almost all the seventh years were engrossed in their books, some chewing on quills as they studied. She understood wanting to do well but she thought they could relax a little, it was only the second of September after all.

"Mate, how was it?" Ron asked as he placed his snacks on the table beside the arm chair he sat in. Meredith sighed, shrugging as she smiled at her friend.

"Hard, but not as hard as I'd feared. I think I did pretty well, I just hope I did well enough to get into the sixth year classes. Otherwise I have to retake the exam in March and that one would be harder considering all the course work I'd have missed." Ron nodded.

"I don't get why you want to take Runes anyway."

"Sometimes I wonder as well," she muttered as she leaned back on the couch opposite Ron. She ran a hand through her hair and turned as the tall brunette sat down beside her on the couch. Turning she met the pale eyes of Katie.

"I thought you'd get that, well done," she called over, pointing at the Captains badge on Meredith's chest.

"Thanks, I was actually pretty surprised, I thought for sure Angelina would suggest you since you've been on the team longer," Meredith said smiling and Katie laughed.

"I'm good Mer, but I'm not that good," Katie said. "I'm not surprised, your a great leader so you'll be a great captain, I'm sure."

"Thanks." Katie nodded and stood with one more sentence. "Tell me when you call trials, okay?"

"Don't be stupid," said Meredith, she was slightly shocked with her statement, having never really thought of putting Katie through try outs. "you don't need to try out, I've watched you play for five years Katie..."

"You shouldn't do that," she said warningly but with a hint of amusement. "For all you know, there's someone much better than me out there. Good teams have been ruined before now because Captains just kept playing the old faces, or letting in their friends…"

Ron looked a little uncomfortable and began playing with the Fanged Frisbee Hermione had taken from the fourth-year student. It zoomed around the common room, snarling and attempting to take bites of the tapestry. Crookshanks' yellow eyes followed it and he hissed when it came too close, a moment latter Meredith reared back a little as the large orange cat jumped and landed on her lap. She smiled and ran a hand through the cats fur before nodding at Katie.

"Your right," she said. "Uh I was thinking of next week but I'll let you know when I've come to a decision."

"Thanks Meredith, I hope you did well on your exam." Meredith blinked.

"Does everyone know about that!" she called as she Katie walked away laughing. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Ron who stared at Crookshanks and then back at her. Every since third year Crookshanks had been a bit spiteful of Meredith. Probably having to do with her pointing her wand at the cat and threatening it all in one day. Now it seemed the fur-ball didn't seem all that mindful of the redheaded girl.

"What?" Ron shrugged.

"Crookshanks just doesn't usually like you, or anyone that isn't Hermione really," he said and Meredith smiled, before moving the curled up cat off her lap onto the seat beside her.

"He probably just got over it," she says with a shrug, but she thinks it might have something to do with her progressing animagus form.

Five minutes latter they left the common room for the Defense classroom with trepidation. Meredith wasn't looking forward to her favorite class like she used too. She completely blamed Snape for this, if he'd just stayed the Potions Master this year, but then she was looking forward to having Potions without the dungeon bat leering over her shoulder constantly. The man's hate for her was confusing, when she was younger she'd assumed it was because she looked like her father but as she'd gotten older she'd begun looking more like a even mix, but even then she looked more like her mother then her father.

To their surprise Hermione was already standing outside, carrying an armful of heavy books and looking put-upon. Meredith winced, noticing a good portion was for Ancient Runes but she was also intrigued. Besides Defense, and Charms she suspected she could come to love Ancient Runes just as much as the other two. Potions also wasn't much of a chore, but she didn't have the love that a Potions Master would have either.

"We've got so much homework for Runes," Hermione said as Meredith and Ron joined her. "A fifteen-inch essay, two translations, and I've got to read these by Wednesday!"

"Shame," yawned Ron.

"You wait," she said resentfully. "I bet Snape gives us loads."

"I bet," Meredith said as she took a few of the books of Hermione and read the tittles. They looked rather interesting.

"How was your exam?" Hermione asked suddenly and she sighed.

"Okay the next person to ask me that I'm gonna smack," she said. "It went well, I just hope I studied enough. When you finish one of these may I read it? Professor Babbling suggested looking over your books."

Hermione nodded just as the classroom door opened and Snape stepped into the corridor, his sallow face framed by two curtains of greasy black hair. He hadn't changed a bit since last summer though she had to think he looked a bit more...happy? It didn't do much for him though, he still resembled a depressed and angry bat.

Silence fell over the queue immediately.

"Inside," he said shortly.

Meredith looked around as they entered. Snape had imposed his personality upon the room already; it was gloomier than usual, as curtains had been drawn over the windows, and was lit by candlelight. New pictures adorned the walls, many of them showing people who appeared to be in pain, sporting grisly injuries or strangely contorted body parts. Nobody spoke as they settled down, looking around at the shadowy, gruesome pictures.

She had to think it looked more like a classroom dedicated to the Dark Arts opposed the defense of it. She was sure she'd seen one of two of the gruesome picture in the book in her trunk.

"I have not asked you to take out your books," said Snape, closing the door and moving to face the class from behind his desk; many dropped their copies of Confronting the Faceless and looked forward, back straight as iron, none wanted to to anger the professor it seemed. "I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention."

His black eyes roved over their upturned faces, lingering for a fraction of a second longer on Meredith's than anyone else's. The usually closed off face was different this year though, his eyes, so dark they appeared black didn't only show hate, they showed...longing, regret, pain...she was sure as soon as she saw it they were gone. She knew it was only her Occlumency that allowed her to detect this, but only just. She would have to thank Tom latter, and maybe ask him if he knew why Snape seemed sad and regretful when looking at her.

"You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe." Meredith fought not to roll her eyes, of course the man was trying to play it up, like he hadn't been here the whole time and watched as the other professors either died or left. She couldn't wait for the end of the year, maybe if she was lucky he'd fall of the astronomy tower.

"Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped an O.W.L. in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the N.E.W.T. work, which will be more advanced."

Snape set off around the edge of the room, speaking now in a lower voice; the class craned their necks to keep him in view. "The Dark Arts," said Snape, "are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible."

Meredith stared at Snape. It was surely one thing to respect the Dark Arts as a dangerous enemy, another to speak of them, as Snape was doing, with a loving caress in his voice? She found the subject fascinating herself but she wasn't stupid, she knew they were dangerous to learn to quickly. Addicting was used a lot in the book Tom had gifted her and she was even thinking of asking Tom for more books like it but the tone of which Snape used made him seem disturbed, not even the Dark Lord spoke of them like that.

"Your defenses," said Snape, a little louder, "must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. These pictures" - he indicated a few of them as he swept past - "give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse" - he waved a hand toward a witch who was clearly shrieking in agony - "feel the Dementor's Kiss" - a wizard lying huddled and blank-eyed, slumped against a wall - "or provoke the aggression of the Inferius" - a bloody mass upon ground.

"Has an Inferius been seen, then?" said Parvati Patil in a high pitched voice. "Is it definite, is he using them?"

"The Dark Lord has used Inferi in the past," said Snape, "which means you would be well-advised to assume he might use them again. Now…"

Meredith wasn't sure what an Inferi was but she wasn't surprised Tom would utilize them, and she sighed mentally as the war inside her began again. She had feelings for Tom, she was almost sure of it but was it right? He was the Dark Lord, evil by many peoples standards. He'd killed her parents – though she'd admit she didn't miss them as much as other people might think, but she'd never even known them besides the first year of her life. She loved them, but how could she miss what she couldn't even remember having.

Call her bitter but she was also a bit upset they'd put themselves in the position to die, why not be neutral? Why fight for the light at all? Especially if they knew she could be hurt? Or left without parents?

The rest of the call was interesting to say the least. His speech continued, and while he wasn't bad with speeches, he lacked the ability to not verbally abuse his students. She had to keep her temper in check the whole time, the thoughts of her own dislike for the man complained with his obvious hate for her and part in Sirius' death last year made it hard not to attack him.

"You will now divide," Snape went on nearly thirty minutes latter, "into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on."

Although Snape did not know it, Meredith had taught at least half the class (everyone who had been a member of the D.A.) how to perform a Shield Charm the previous year. None of them had ever cast the charm without speaking, however. A reasonable amount of cheating ensued; many people were merely whispering the incantation instead of saying it aloud.

Typically, ten minutes into the lesson Hermione managed to repel Neville's muttered Jelly-Legs Jinx without uttering a single word, a feat that would surely have earned her twenty points for Gryffindor from any reasonable teacher but with Snape he'd sooner kiss the Dark Lords ass – who knew he might have though that sounded more like a insult to Tom and she had to rethink it – and a moment latter she gritted her teeth together she succeeded in a partial shield against Ron's jinx.

"Good one mate," Ron said grinning and she smiled back. It wasn't long though the good mood melted as Snape swept between them. He looked just as much like an overgrown bat as ever, lingering to watch Meredith and Ron struggling with the task, not even taking into consideration Meredith had indeed been able to silently cast a shield charm even if it was only half powered. It had been powerful enough to throw off Ron's muttered jinx.

"Pathetic you mean, Weasley," said Snape, after a while. "Here — let me show you —"

He turned his wand on Meredith so fast that Meredith reacted instinctively; all thought of nonverbal spells forgotten as the spell sped at her, she yelled, "Protego!"

She didn't have to worry about her vow, after all Snape had attacked her first and she was sure Snap was only loyal to himself in the long run. The Shield Charm was so strong Snape was knocked off-balance and hit a desk, his eyes seemingly wider then before much to her delight. The whole class had looked around and now watched as Snape righted himself, scowling.

"Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"

_Like I was going to chance allowing whatever spell that was to hit me_, she longed to say but instead she said; "Yes," her voice stiff.

"Yes, sir."

"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor, it's also quite rude."

The words had escaped before she knew what she was saying. Several people gasped, including Hermione. Behind Snape, however, Ron, Dean, and Seamus grinned appreciatively.

"Detention, Saturday night, my office," said Snape. "I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter… not even 'the Chosen One.'"

_Then maybe you shouldn't work around teenagers your bloody bat_, she seethed inside and wondered if Tom would give the bat a round of Crucio if she asked nicely? Then she shook her head, maybe Tom was right and she was spending to much time around him? that was rather cruel wasn't it?

"That was brilliant, Meredith!" chortled Ron, once they were safely on their way to break a short while later.

"I'm just glad it over, I never thought I'd say it but I hate that class already."

"You really shouldn't have said it," said Hermione, frowning at Ron. "What made you?"

"He tried to jinx me, in case you didn't notice!" fumed Meredith. "I had enough of that during those Occlumency lessons! Why doesn't he use another guinea pig for a change? What's Dumbledore playing at, anyway, letting him teach Defense? He's a terrible teacher as it is, he hates teenagers and children it's plain to see! Did you hear him talking about the Dark Arts? He loves them! All that unfixed, indestructible stuff —"

"Well," said Hermione, "I thought he sounded a bit like you."

"Like me?" Meredith asked shocked, turning her face sharply to look at the bushy haired girl. She knew Hermione couldn't possibly know about her new found hobby, there was no way she saw thought he glamor on the cover of the book, only Dumbledore or Voldemort would be powerful enough to do so. And even she didn't sound like some love sick fool when talking about the Dark Arts with Tom, not even close.

"Yes, when you were telling us what it's like to face Voldemort. You said it wasn't just memorizing a bunch of spells, you said it was just you and your brains and your guts - well, wasn't that what Snape was saying? That it really comes down to being brave and quick-thinking?"

Meredith was so disarmed that she had thought her words as well worth memorizing as The Standard Book of Spells that she had to choke out a answer.

"Maybe but can we please never compare me to that bat. If he was a prince in disguise he'd have to offer me small countries and jewels before I'd turn him into prince charming." Hermione giggled while Ron looked between the two with a face that clearly said he found them disturbing, or disturbed either way.

"Meredith! Hey, Meredith!"

Meredith looked around; Jack Sloper, one of the Beaters on last year's Gryffindor Quidditch team, was hurrying toward her and her friends holding a roll of parchment.

"For you," panted Sloper, holding out the parchment roll. "Listen, I heard you're the new Captain. When are you holding trials?"

"I'm not sure yet," said Meredith, thinking privately that Sloper would be very lucky to get back on the team. "I'll let you know with some of the other players from last year when I've reach a decision."

"Oh, right. I was hoping it'd be this weekend —" But Meredith was not listening; she had just recognized the thin, slanting writing on the parchment. Looking up she interrupted Sloper and smiled.

"Look, I've got to go -" she turned to leave only for Sloper's hand to catch her arm and she looked at him expectantly as he let go.

"Uh, I don't know how to ask this, but Meredith -" he gulped. "Would you -"

"Hey, Sloper!" a new voice called and she turned in time to notice Blaise walking towards them a an odd glint in his eyes.

"Your not bothering Potter here, now are you?" the dark skinned boy asked, something that was sort of out of character for the usually silent boy of Slytherin. Hermione and Ron exchanged looks and Sloper chocked on his spit before running away.

"Zabini," Meredith said and Blaise smirked.

"Potter," he replied before leaving, she swore she heard him laugh as he did.

"What was that?" Ron asked and she shrugged.

"No idea," she said as she hurried away with Ron and Hermione, unrolling the parchment as she went.

**Dear Meredith,**

**I would like to start our private lessons this Saturday. Kindly come along to my office at 8 P.M. I hope you are enjoying your first day back at school.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Albus Dumbledore**

**P.S. I enjoy Acid Pops.**

"He enjoys Acid Pops?" said Ron, who had read the message over Meredith's shoulder and was looking perplexed. "Who could? They're not exactly popular except for as prank candies."

"It's the password to get past the gargoyle outside his study," said Meredith in a low voice. "Ha! Snape's not going to be pleased… I won't be able to do his detention!"

That alone made her day.

**xXx**

The next few hours before Potions – which she was looking forward too – were spent doing homework, Snape's of which was the hardest to complete and by the time Hermione had returned for their free period after lunch they still had not finished. Thankfully Hermione's help was exactly what they needed to finish this whole thing, though she hated Snape she would be damned before letting herself fail Defense Against the Dark Arts.

By the time they'd finished the bell for afternoon double Potions rang and the common room cleared out pretty quickly. Meredith smiled slightly, making sure to pack her quill and parchments back into her bag along with the diary she'd been using for years, though she had placed a notice-me-not charm on it in her third year – which was a achievement since they were not taught until fourth and reviewed in fifth. It wasn't like anyone could read it, it was written in Parsaltongue after all.

"Come on, I don't want to be late," Meredith said as she walked ahead of her friends.

"That's a first," Ron said and Hermione nodded before shrugging.

"She's right though, we don't want to be late."


	10. Luck Be A Lady

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
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**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

****A/N 3/21/12: Thanks for all the reviews guys! Also there is a scene in this chapter which was inspired by bluetoads' review. This chapter is one my favorites so far and I hope you all like it as well. So here it is and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can.  
><strong>**

* * *

><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 9: Luck Be A Lady.**

When they arrived in the corridor outside the Potions classroom they saw that there were only a dozen people progressing to N.E.W.T. Level. It wasn't all that surprising since she was sure Snape had the lowest rate of students getting into N.E.W.T Potions in the history of Hogwarts Professors. Crabbe and Goyle had evidently failed to achieve the required O.W.L. grade, but four Slytherins had made it through.

Though she only recognized Blaise and a blonde girl with steal blue eyes she thought was named Daphne, this of course also included Malfoy. Four Ravenclaws were there as well, and one Hufflepuff, Ernie Macmillan, whom Meredith had never really seen eye to eye with since they're second year and he'd been convinced she was the Heir of Slytherin, but they had a civil understanding.

"Meredith," Ernie said portentously, holding out his hand as Meredith approached, "didn't get a chance to speak in Defense Against The Dark Arts this morning. Good lesson, I thought, but Shield Charms are old hat, of course, for us old D.A. lags… And how are you, Ron — Hermione?"

"Ernie," she said with a respectful nod. Despite everything Macmillan was a good student and was one of the few to take to the Patronus Charm quickest, besides Cho, Ginny, Ron and Hermione that was.

"I heard you took your Ancient Runes exam today," Ernie said but whatever he was saying next was unheard and he missed the twitch of the other girl's left eye at the mention of her exam. Did everyone know about that! Seriously this was getting to the point of derisory, and for a moment she thought of actually smacking the Hufflepuff. She had said she would and from the looks on Ron and Hermione's faces they thought or feared she would.

Before they could say more, and before Meredith could make a concrete decision, the dungeon door swung open and Slughorn's belly preceded him out of the door. He had a jolly look upon his face, and motioned them in before himself, some having a problem squeezing through, and she was positive she saw him analyzing each student as they passed.

His eyes lingered happily on herself and Zabini, along with flashing with recognition upon spotting Greengrass and she was sure she saw a hint of distaste when Malfoy strutted in, his chest puffed out theatrically. Needless to say Zabini, and Meredith were greeted with particular enthusiasm.

The dungeon was, to Meredith's surprise, already full of vapors and odd smells. Unusual since Snape never seemed to be there when they arrived and always entered as if the world depended on his most dramatic entrance and ability to terrify them, less the world implode. For all his harping on Meredith and the size of her ego his was by far the largest she had seen – and that was saying something since both Malfoy and Tom had rather large ones.

Meredith, Ron, and Hermione sniffed interestedly as they passed large, bubbling cauldrons, and Meredith followed this by a eye roll – as if the simple smelling of the potion fumes was going to tell them what it was, they were sixth years but Potions Masters they were not. It was almost predictable that the four Slytherins took a table together, as did the four Ravenclaws.

This left Meredith, Ron, and Hermione to share a table with Ernie. They chose the one nearest a gold-colored cauldron that was emitting one of the most seductive scents Meredith had ever inhaled:

Somehow it reminded her simultaneously of treacle tart, the woody smell of a broomstick handle – as odd as she found that - and something spicy, powerful she thought she might have smelled on many occasions. It was with a blush which colored her face red that she recognized the smell as having come from Tom. She didn't know if Power had a smell exactly but if it did it was the spicy sweet yet musky smell that came from the cauldron.

"You okay Mer?" Hermione muttered as she looked at her friends tomato red face. "You're kind of red."

"No, uh...I'm fine," she said shaking off the revelations embarrassment.

She found that she was breathing very slowly and deeply and that the potion's fumes seemed to be calming her greatly, but she was still a bit strung out, what did the last smell mean? What was the Potion and why would she smell those certain things?

"Now then, now then, let's begin," said Slughorn. "Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making…"

"Excuse me, Sir?" said Meredith, raising her hand.

"Meredith, dear girl, what can I do for you?"

"I haven't got a book or scales or anything — nor's Ron — we didn't realize we'd be able to do the N.E.W.T. classes, you see —" Meredith didn't need to speak more since Slughorn nodded a look of understanding crossing over his face.

"Ah, yes, Professor McGonagall did mention… not to worry, my dear girl, not to worry at all. You can use ingredients from the store cupboard today, and I'm sure we can lend you some scales, and we've got a small stock of old books here, they'll do until you can write to Flourish and Blotts…" Slughorn strode over to a corner cupboard and, after a moment's foraging, emerged with two very battered-looking copies of Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage, which he gave to Meredith and Ron along with two sets of tarnished scales.

"The Apothecary can also take care of your needs over Owl orders as well, but no hurry I dear say, no hurry," he said cheerfully but by the look he gave Ron – though as quick as it was – she knew he'd prefer Ron did even if she took her time. For some reason that didn't bother her, but made her want to chuckle or giggle inanely.

"Now then," said Slughorn, returning to the front of the class and with a clap of his hands he began speaking once more. "I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?"

He indicated the cauldron nearest the Slytherin table. Meredith raised herself slightly in her seat and saw what looked like plain water boiling away inside it and she almost instantly had a name for it. She remembered it since she was sure she'd seen it before, last year and hadn't Umbridge asked for it as well? She shook her head, she'd also read about it in the Potions book over the summer.

She didn't know if it was the new out look she'd adopted this summer or if maybe it was the fact she didn't have to put up with Snape but her hand shot up almost sooner then Hermione's. She didn't miss the look of curious yet offended shock on her friends face

Maybe it was a shock but with a grin it almost seemed Slughorn looked right over Hermione and pointed to Meredith. Meredith blinked before answering, hoping it was correct and she wouldn't make a fool out of herself. She was sure she was but even she could be wrong, she was just human after all.

"It's Veritaserum, a colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth until the counter potion is given. I think it could also ware off given time but commonly an antidote is given," she answered and Slughorn laughed joyfully, his belly shaking as he did.

"What was that!" Hermione hissed quietly between them and she sighed. True Hermione was a great friend but she was a bit egoistical when it came to her intelligence. She wasn't used to someone being able to answer just as well as she could, or in other words competition.

"I just answered the question Hermione," Meredith hissed back as Slughorn spoke.

"Very good, very good! Twenty pointed to Gryffindor!" said Slughorn happily. "Now," he continued, pointing at the cauldron nearest the Ravenclaw table, "this one here is pretty well known… Featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too… Who can —?"

Hermione's hand was fastest once more, and Meredith shot her a look that clearly questioned her mindset as Slughorn pointed to Hermione with a clearly amused look in his eyes.

"lt's Polyjuice Potion, sir," she said proudly and Meredith had to force back a chuckle.

She too had recognized the slow-bubbling, sludge-like substance in the cauldron, but she held no resentment for Hermione answering the question. Sometimes she wondered if Hermione's need to always be right and answer every question the teacher asked was a way to prove herself and traced back to a insecurity from childhood. After all she knew how cruel school children could be and Hermione had never mentioned having muggle friends.

"Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here… yes, my dear?" said Slughorn, now looking slightly bemused, as Hermione's hand punched the air again.

"It's Amortentia!" she gasped out and many glared or snorted at that, while Ron groaned and Meredith simply sighed. Maybe she should talk to Hermione about this, just because someone else knew the answer or wanted to answer didn't necessarily point to her being stupid or unintelligent.

"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask," said Slughorn, who was looking mightily impressed, "but I assume you know what it does?"

"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" said Hermione.

"Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"

"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals," said Hermione enthusiastically, "and it's supposed to smell differently to each of according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and -"

But she turned slightly pink and did not complete the sentence.

"May I ask your name, my dear?" said Slughorn, ignoring Hermione's embarrassment.

"Hermione Granger, sir."

"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"

"No. I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see."

Meredith saw Malfoy lean close to Nott – who she had almost over looked - and whisper something; both of them sniggered, but Slughorn showed no dismay; on the contrary, he beamed and looked from Hermione to Meredith, who was sitting next to her. He laughed then and then nodded as if the puzzle all fit.

"Oho! 'One of my best friends is Muggle-born, and she's the best in our year!' I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Meredith?"

"Yes, sir," said Meredith. "Hermione and I have been friends since our first year."

"Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor, Miss Granger," said Slughorn genially, but Meredith also saw through this.

She'd bet twenty galleons he'd given her those points so readily, when he'd all but forgotten the first time she'd answered a question, because it was confirmed that the bushy haired girl was her friend. Once again Meredith found she liked Slughorn too much to call him out or question this questionable tactic. After all he was a Slytherin.

Malfoy looked rather as he had done the time Hermione had punched him in the face and she smirked in his direction, her eyes showing nothing but the promise she'd given on the train. Theo seemed to have noticed this and after smirking, his head down, he whispered something to Malfoy and by the shocked and slightly fearful face Malfoy showed it was obviously something juicy, or maybe a threat?

Despite having dated Theo for almost a whole school year she had never figured him out completely but then it was a double edge sword as he'd never completely figured her out and she knew how pissed off that had made him.

Despite everything she was a rather good actress when she wanted to be, and she'd always thought the best way to make people think you were a bad liar was to lie badly on the insignificant things in life. Hermione turned to Meredith with a radiant expression, yet she could see the hidden shock in her milk chocolate eyes and whispered, "Did you really tell him I'm the best in the year? Oh, Meredith!"

"Well, what's so impressive about that?" whispered Ron, who for some reason looked annoyed. "You are the best in the year — I'd have told him so if he'd asked me!"

Meredith bit her tongue, she knew exactly what Ron's problem was and it all led back to the crush he'd been harboring for Hermione since their fourth year. Though why he got so upset she wasn't sure, it wasn't like she was a boy interested in Hermione. The brunette was the sister she'd never had. Nevertheless, Hermione smiled but made a "shhing" gesture, so that they could hear what Slughorn was saying. Ron looked slightly disgruntled.

"Amortentia doesn't really create love, of course. It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. No, this will simply cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. It is probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room — oh yes," he said, nodding gravely at Malfoy and Nott, both of whom were smirking skeptically. "When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love."

Obsessive love? Meredith felt her eyebrows knit together, was there really such a thing? She bit her lip as she thought of Tom and what she knew about him, about herself and what life in general had given her. It was ridiculous really, she wasn't obsessed with Tom and he wasn't with her either. She wasn't in love with him, she didn't think she loved anyone properly. She'd never been given love growing up so she had never truly understood it enough to give it unconditionally.

Though she supposed that wasn't completely true, the closest person she'd had come to loving, that she could truly say she loved had been Sirius and now, now he was gone. She shook her head as she focused on what Slughorn was saying, this train of thought wasn't doing her any good, unless you counted the headache it had given her as good?

"-ove can be a dangerous thing when used wrongly, and now," said Slughorn, "it is time for us to start work."

"Sir, you haven't told us what's in this one," said Ernie Macmillan, pointing at a small black cauldron standing on Slughorn's desk. The potion within was splashing about merrily; it was the color of molten gold, and large drops were leaping like goldfish above the surface, though not a particle had spilled.

"Oho," said Slughorn again. Meredith was sure that Slughorn had not forgotten the potion at all, but had waited to be asked for dramatic effect. Looking at the potion Meredith gasped silently, she knew that potion. She'd read about it that summer with the others, liquid luck!

"Yes. That. Well, that one, ladies and gentlemen, is a most curious little potion," he turned, smiling. "Does anyone know what it is perhaps?" Meredith was quick to raise her hand, this time Hermione didn't even seem annoyed but she did smirk in amusement, an almost un-Hermione like action.

"It's Felix Felicis, it's basically liquid luck. Anyone who consumes it will have a streak of good luck and some even say courage – though it's never exactly been proven." Slughorn grinned widely at Meredith's words and nodded. She seemed to have gathered the attention of everyone as well.

"Quite right, take another ten points for Gryffindor. Yes, it's a funny little potion, Felix Felicis," said Slughorn. "Desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavors tend to succeed… at least until the effects wear off."

"Why don't people drink it all the time, sir?" said Terry Boot eagerly.

"Because if taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence," said Meredith without even thinking. It only caused Slughorn to get even more giddy then before and nod before continuing himself.

"Right again, Meredith! Too much of a good thing, you know… highly toxic in large quantities. But taken sparingly, and very occasionally…"

"Have you ever taken it, sir?" asked Michael Corner with great interest.

"Twice in my life," said Slughorn. "Once when I was twenty-four, once when I was fifty-seven. Two tablespoonfuls taken with breakfast. Two perfect days." He gazed dreamily into the distance. Whether he was playacting or not, thought Meredith, the effect was good.

"And that," said Slughorn, apparently coming back to earth, "is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson."

There was silence in which every bubble and gurgle of the surrounding potions seemed magnified tenfold.

"One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis," said Slughorn, taking a minuscule glass bottle with a cork in it out of his pocket and showing it to them all. "Enough for twelve hours' luck. From dawn till dusk, you will be lucky in everything you attempt."

"Now, I must give you warning that Felix Felicis is a banned substance in organized competitions… sporting events, for instance, examinations, or elections. So the winner is to use it on an ordinary day only… and watch how that ordinary day becomes extraordinary!"

"So," said Slughorn, suddenly brisk, "how are you to win this fabulous prize? Well, by turning to page ten of Advanced Potion Making. We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go!"

There was a scraping as everyone drew their cauldrons toward them and some loud clunks as people began adding weights to their scales, but nobody spoke. The concentration within the room was almost tangible. Meredith saw Malfoy riffling feverishly through his copy of Advanced Potion-Making. It could not have been clearer that Malfoy really wanted that lucky day. Meredith bent swiftly over the tattered book Slughorn had lent her but then stopped.

With one spared glance at her friends she gathered her book and supplies and walked briskly over to the table with the four Slyhterins. She noticed as she did the others give her strange looks while Slughorn seemed to be amused and holding back laughter.

"Potter," Zabini said in greeting as he prepared one of his ingredients. She smiled slightly, frowned deeply at Theo who shot her a smug smirk and then nodded at the others. Daphne Greengrass observed her for a moment before holding out a pale hand.

"Daphne Greengrass, and your Potter," she said as Meredith shook the hand offered swiftly before both let go. Meredith nodded at the blond before setting her stuff up for preparation.

"Most call me Meredith actually," she said and Malfoy groaned before glaring at her.

"What are you doing here Potter?" Meredith raised an eyebrow.

"What, you don't want me here?" she asked before shrugging. "I just thought I should mingle."

"Whatever, just do your work and shut up," Malfoy snapped and turned back to his work and Meredith chuckled softly before doing the same. She opened her book quickly and turned to the proper page. To her annoyance the page was covered in scribble, so much so the margins were as black as the printed portions. It was hard to read anything but the scribbled since some of the printed had been crossed out violently.

Bending low to decipher the ingredients (even here, the previous owner had made annotations and crossed things out) Meredith hurried off toward the store cupboard to find what she needed, taking the book with her to be sure she read it properly. As she dashed back to her cauldron, she saw Malfoy cutting up Valerian roots as fast as he could and snorted.

"You might want to slow down Draco, you wouldn't want to make a mistake," she said, and Greengrass and Zabini smirked slightly as they concentrated on their potions while Theo pretended she wasn't there. Malfoy glared but she noticed that as she went back to her work he had slowed down if only marginally.

Everyone kept glancing around at what the rest of the class was doing; Ron had brushed passed her twice to ask her what the hell she was doing with the Slytherins and Hermione once, but nicer and worried more then anything. Within ten minutes, the whole place was full of bluish steam. Hermione, of course, seemed to have progressed furthest. Her potion already resembled the "smooth, black currant-colored liquid" mentioned as the ideal halfway stage.

Having finished chopping her roots, Meredith bent low over her book again. It was really very irritating, having to try and decipher the directions under all the stupid scribbles of the previous owner, who for some reason had taken issue with the order to cut up the sopophorous bean and had written in the alternative instruction:

Crush with flat side of silver dagger, releases juice better than cutting. Her brows knitted together, could that really work? It wasn't that far of a reach, after all crushing some foods for maximum flavor was done so why not for this?

With a sigh she half listened as Malfoy made a fool of himself by trying to get on the good side of Slughorn, probably looking for the same treatment the man seemed to give to Zabini and Meredith, and focused on her potion.

This was going to be a long class period.

**xXx**

Nagini hummed to herself as she once again tried to practice writing with her tail. It wasn't near as easy as she thought and she could not for the life of her write English. Because of the fact her tail would not coil and function properly around a quill she stuck to sticking her tail, just the tip into the ink well and trying to write in the only language she knew, Parsaltongue.

The first few attempts had been dismal at best and smeared terribly but she really thought she was getting the hang of this. The way things were going her lord would never get the balls – pardon the crudeness of it – to make the Potter girl his mate. Nagini had waited over two decades to see him happy and sometimes she knew her Lord needed a little...push in the right direction.

It had been just a day after their conversation that she'd thought of this, maybe if she could help sway the red-she-snake to her way of thinking – of leaving out the part about hatchlings, for some reason she'd realized talking about that made females of the human species uncomfortable. She couldn't imagine why, it was only natural to seek out mates to have little ones.

_::Yesss,:: _Nagini hissed quietly. ::_Young she-snake won't be able to refuse my Tom's advances.::_

Who could really? He was rather charming and handsome for a human – though she found his other form to be more handsome in her opinion but she was a snake after all and he did look rather snake-like in that form. Tom had tried to explain to her why it was not his natural form but she had really not understood or cared. They were both Tom to her and that was all that mattered.

"Nagini, what are you doing?" Nagini snapped her head up as she used the stamp thing to seal the letter – a rather hard trick to do with only a tail. She quickly wrote her best impression of the red-she-snake's name – the ones thing she'd practiced and practiced the most – and coiled the letter in her tail, keeping it as far from Tom's sight as possible.

_::Nothing,:: _she hissed back innocently. Tom narrowed his eyes at her and then looked from the ink stained desk to her tail which still had a bit of ink staining it, and the letter. As soon as his eyes locked on it Nagini was moving to the floor and keeping the letter as far from him as possible. ::I was simply practicing my writing.::

_::You're a snake dear one, you can't write,::_ he said dryly but gently. As he went to his desk and sat Nagini turned, the letter once again facing away from him but he swore he caught a rather messy 'M' on it. Curious, curious indeed.

_::Of course, but maybe I wish to learn,::_ she said, before looking for something to change the subject. She found upon seeing the book in her masters hands. She wasn't the best at reading English, but she could tell it was a rather old book, and written by someone called Carroll, or Coral? ::_What is that you have Tom?:: _

Tom looked down at the book in his hands and ran his tongue over his lips. With casual confidence, as if nothing was different he spoke. "A book."

Nagini snorts, or the snake version anyways and adds a eye roll – or what she supposes would be a snake-like version anyways, she was unaware if snake eyes _could _roll.

_::Yes, and the thing your sitting at is a desk Tom,:: _she said as if talking to a small child. ::_What is the name of said book darling snake Lord?:: _Tom sighed and then smiled as he opened the book and prepared to read the muggle book for the first time in over fifty years.

"Alice in Wonderland." Nagini smiled mentally, she had been told of the dream by Tom, who could never keep much from her and was aware of the reference. Humming once more she left the room and Tom to his book.

Half way down the hall she realized she still had to figure out how to mail the letter. With a sigh she cursed. ::_Fuck!::_

Of course ironically she didn't even know what that word meant, but she'd been around humans enough to pick it up and Tom had quite the mouth on him when upset.

**xXx**

"How did you do it?" Hermione asked as they sat for dinner that night. Hermione had been a bit peeved to have not won the Felix Felicis, and was confused how she of all people won it when she'd never been very good at Potions. She thought it all a bit hypocritical since it wasn't really her fault but Snape's bad teaching and so Meredith shrugged, wondering if she should even tell her friend. Hermione had a way of jumping to conclusions and especially when it came to education. The last thing she needed was for Hermione to turn against her for a little book.

"It's like cooking or chemistry really, and without Snape breathing down my neck I find I actually like Potions Mione," she said as she plated some chicken onto her plate. Hermione huffed, her eyes narrowed.

"Don't call me Mione," Hermione muttered, jabbing her fork at the redhead and Ron and Meredith laughed at how silly it made the level headed prefect look.

"I don't care much for how she did it, just what she was thinking sitting with the Slytherins!" Ron said in between his mouthful of food. Hermione gave him a disgusted look while Meredith adverted her eyes from the display. No need to get sick and loose her dinner.

"This really isn't the place to be talking of that Ron," Meredith said as she moved her peas around with her fork. "I was just putting the first stage of my gam...uh..plan into place. Leave Malfoy to me guys, I mean it." she gave them stern looks, even Ginny who sat beside Hermione a moment latter.

"What?" she asked and Meredith sighed.

"I was just telling them to leave Malfoy alone, I'll handle him myself." Ginny gave her a hesitant look but nodded as she began loading her plate up with some meat pie, and vegetables.

"I had Divination today," Ginny said a minute latter and all three looked up at her with slightly wide eyes.

"And?" Meredith asked and Ginny sighed.

"Nothing, I mean she's crazy! Turns out I'm gonna be a twenty year old widow who has soon after committed suicide by dragon." They exchanged looks and with a chuckle Meredith asked.

"Dragon?" Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Apparently I get eaten," Ginny says laconically and shrugs. "Somehow I'll find the strength to go on." Ron snickered and Hermione shot him a look which clearly said she thought he was being insensitive.

"We need to figure out if she faked..." Hermione trailed off looking to each side to make sure no one was paying much attention to them. "...the _you-know-what_."

Meredith choked on her juice and they looked at strangely.

"I'm sorry, it's just...You-Know-What...You-Know-Who," she said waving a hand and Hermione snorted while Ginny shook her head. Ron looked puzzled but did not bother asking.

"You girls are weird!" he exclaimed and Ginny, Hermione and Meredith rolled their eyes and returned to their food. They would return to this conversation latter in a more private setting.

**xXx**

"So you want to reinstate the DA?" Neville asked latter that night as he, Meredith, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat around the fire in the common room. It was late so they were the only ones out of bed at the time. Meredith looked away from the flames and nodded.

"Yeah, I wasn't too sure before but Snape made it apparent he isn't going to play by the rules."

"I thought his lesson was pretty good, much better then Umbridge," Hermione said with a tone of disgust when mentioning the toad woman.

"Anyone is better then that toad demon," Ron said bitterly.

"Hermione is right, Snape is better then Umbridge but the way he teaches is bound to get us killed one day or at least hurt. I mean who sets up a practical like he did today? It was a good lesson but it lacked common sense! There is no way to work when both are trying to cast non-verbal spells for the first time. It makes more sense to have one partner do non-verbal and the other verbal, and to switch off every so often," Meredith fumed.

Maybe she was still a bit bitter that Snape had tried to attack her with an unknown spell, she still didn't know what that spell was. She could only assume it wasn't lethal since Snape wasn't _that_ stupid.

"I for one think it's a brilliant idea," Ginny said. "I don't have DADA till tomorrow but I'm dreading it."

"I still don't know," Hermione muttered and Neville shrugged.

"I agree with Ginny," he said. "It's not like it'll be a full time think like last year, after all you and Meredith have Prefect duties and Mer has Quidditch as well." Meredith groaned.

"Quidditch, I almost forgot," she said and Ron looked at her aghast. "Okay anyways I wanted to let you know because your the ones I trust the most. My best friends." Neville blushed lightly at being called a friend, a best friend at that. He'd never really had a true friend before, none had wanted to be friends with the almost squib Longbottom heir.

"Okay, I'll get the list from last year and the coins..." Hermione looked at Ron. "You didn't spend it did you?" Ron blushed and Meredith rolled her eyes as she produced a lone galleon from her bag. Left over from when she'd sent Hedwig with her owl orders before dinner. She handed it over to Hermione.

"Spell this one for him," she said. "Don't spend it this time Ron. Seriously I'm not made of galleons." Well it wasn't a lie but she wasn't sure how wealthy she was now that she had the Potter and Black fortunes for when she came of age. Maybe she should head to Gringotts and talk to the goblins about her heritage at the next Hogsmeade weekend. She doubted she could sneak off before that since she really didn't want Dumbledore meddling in personal affairs.

"I won't," Ron said giving her a grateful smile.

"Are we expecting new members?" Ginny asked and Meredith nodded.

"Yeah, I was thinking of having it opened to fourth years and above. All of the houses." She waited for the predictable protest and wasn't disappointed as she got some stares of surprise and some not so nice words from Ron.

"Hey, hey come on, the Slytherins aren't evil!" she defended.

"How can you say that, I mean Vol...You-Know-Who came from that house," Hermione said and Ginny shivered.

"Tom," the redhead Weasley girl muttered her eyes glazed and Meredith winced. She had forgotten the trauma Tom had put the younger girl through. She knew how unpleasant it was to be possessed by the man but Ginny's had been so much more personal then the time in the Ministry. She cursed Tom for the damn diary but she found it didn't seem to matter, she couldn't stay mad at the Dark Lord and she really did want to for Ginny's sake.

"Look, I know some not so nice characters have come from the house but in truth they're not so bad." Meredith sighed. "Pettigrew wasn't good and he was in Gryffindor. I am sure each house has they're fair share of Death Eaters and Dark Wizards."

"Still, Slytherin isn't exactly helping with they're reputation," said Ron as he sneered at the thought of the snake house.

"What would you have done if I had been sorted into Slytherin?" she asked suddenly and her four companions looked at her with wide eyes ranging in shades of brown, and blue.

"It shouldn't matter because you're not!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah, I mean you're a Gryffindor, there is no way you could be a Slytherin Merry," Neville said and Meredith sighed shaking her head.

"What if I told you the sorting hat only put me here because I asked it?"

"What?" Ginny asked confused.

"The Sorting Hat said I'd have done well in Slytherin, that it would help me on the way to greatness. It would have put me in Slytherin as well if I had not convinced it to put me anywhere but there. I didn't even ask for Gryffindor really, it just decided on it." With looks at her friends she continued. "If they're evil simply for being cunning and ambitious, for being Slytherins then so am I."

"No!" Hermione gasped. "You're not evil, you could never be evil!"

"Anyone can be evil Hermione, it just depends on the person. So will you give the Slytherins a chance, besides I doubt many will join." Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville exchanged looks before nodding and Meredith grinned.

"Thank you guys," she said. "I think we should head to bed though, we have classes tomorrow you know." With a nods the five stood up and headed for their dorms.

Not long after Meredith's head hit the pillow she was asleep and only a few moments latter she was once again inside the Dreamscape.

**xXx**

_**"Stupid girl, how dare you do that freak shit in my house!" Meredith groaned, biting her lip as her Uncles foot connected with her stomach once more before she grabbed by her hair and forcefully thrown into a small cupboard under the stairs. **_

_**She sat up on the small cot – which was really a baby mattress – with tears in her eyes as she looked through the slots on the door. She could see her uncle's red face and blue beady eyes peering in at her in anger. **_

_**'And you'll stay there until you can control yourself freak!" he roared and slammed the slots closed before she heard his thundering steps walking up the stairs. With a sniffle Meredith broke down into tears on her cot, holding her tender and bruised stomach as she cried herself to sleep. **_

_Tom broke free of the memory which had slipped through Meredith's Occlumency shields and stared in shock at the nervous girl in front of him. They had been here for only a hour or so it seemed and had decided to start right away on Occlumency since Dumbledore was beginning his lessons within the week. While he had seen some memories, and had known the Dursley's were not a kind loving family to Meredith he had never realized the abuse had extended to physical and not just neglect. _

_It wasn't as if he'd gone on a search of her memories those other times he'd been in her head and so this memory had been more put together then others and for some reason it made him furious. How dare that muggle hit her! How dare he belittle and make the girl cry! If anyone was allowed to do such things it was him, and only him! _

"_Tom?" Meredith asked after a minute and Tom looked at her, his anger fizzling out if only a little. _

"_How old were you?" he asked gruffly and Meredith sighed before answering. She knew he wouldn't let it go so she didn't even bothering to lie. _

"_four," she answered. "I barely remember it, but before what you saw he'd hit me in the head sense I've always had a good memory I figure that's one reason why the memory in particular is fuzzy." _

_Tom snarled. "Filthy muggle!" _

"_Dumbledore knows of this...abuse?" _

"_Yes." _

"_Did it happen often?" _

"_When I was younger, and did accidental magic more often. It wasn't as often after my Hogwarts letter, but it didn't make them like me any more either." Tom hissed, he would make those muggles pay. _

"_Did that fat pig ever touch you?" Meredith's eyes snapped up and widened with a confused light. Tom looked at her more serious and stern then she'd seen him since they'd made the oath. _

"_What?" she asked. _

"_Did. He. Touch. You?" Meredith looked at Tom appalled before shaking her head. _

"_No, he wouldn't dare! I mean sometimes he'd look at me strangely but he never did that! I don't think it really crossed his mind but if it did he was much to afraid of my aunt finding out and getting angry or my magic contaminating his normalcy." She'd said this all in a rush and Tom looked into her eyes for a moment as if searching the truth before nodding, his eyes softening. _

"_I believe you. How attached to your relatives are you Meredith?" he asked and Meredith stared at him. She knew knew this would be the final word about the Dursley's. Her decision on how to answer would dictate her relatives fates since she knew Tom had a grizzly death planed out for them. She didn't know what she thought of that. _

_A year ago she would have been angry and tried to defend them, that at least they'd taken her in, but she had thought of that over the summer. They hadn't taken her in to help her any, and they'd never really raised her but used her as a house elf. They had been threatened and harassed into taking her in, not to mention as long as she lived there with her aunts consent the blood wards would keep them safe. _

_But she had to wonder if the blood wards were even strong enough to keep Voldemort out and if they ever had been. _

"_Your basically asking me to sell out the last blood family I have," Meredith finally said and without missing a beat Tom nodded. _

"_I am," he said. "Would you?" _

_Looking up at him, memories of her life there passing through her eyes she nodded, her eyes hard with a cold light. "In a heartbeat." _

"_Good, then I won't feel bad when I kill them for you." Meredith snorted lightly, and then looked back up her Tom. _

"_I finished the book, the dark arts one." She wrung her hands together unsure of how to ask this. Tom raised an eyebrow before smiling. _

"_I see." _

"_I was wondering if...well I..." she broke off but Tom finished for her anyways. _

"_You wish me to send you more?" With a blush Meredith nodded. _

"_Consider it done," he said. "There is nothing wrong with learning the Dark Arts Meredith. I have told you before, there is no good or evil, only power and those to weak to seek it." _

_Frowning Meredith looked at him. _

"_But...you meant Magic, not people." Seeing his confused inquiring look Meredith clarified. "I thought you meant there were no Good or Evil people." _

_Tom snorted. "Of course not! Silly Redbird, of course there is good and evil people, the world would be utter chaos without them. Like Yin and Yang, the world need good and evil and light and dark to function properly. You've heard the saying, to much of a good thing?" Meredith nodded. _

"_It's like that, magic is balance. If everyone was a light wizard then people who commit crimes such as killing would have to resort to using the light arts and then eventually the light arts would be illegal just as the dark arts are and magic would simply...stop." _

"_So you were talking about magic the whole time?" she asked. _

"_Yes, magic is about intent. You can not deem the dark arts evil just as you can not deem them good. The same goes for the light arts. Most Dark Wizards prefer the dark arts but since a lot of the dark arts are illegal they are forced to use the little that isn't with the neutral, more destructive light arts, and as such don't pack the sort of power they would have otherwise. The same can not be said for Light Wizards since they prefer to not use the dark arts. I hope to change that one day, to ban a branch of magic simply because it is more destructive and not everyone can do them is outrageous." _

"_I can see what Slughorn meant now," she said smiling. "You would have made a great politician, even a Minister. Still would despite being a Dark Lord and all." Tom smirked. _

"_Yes well, just because I am a Dark Lord Merry, doesn't mean I'm evil...not that I am not because I think I am by now, but I still have a heart and feelings even if I don't understand them. But it doesn't mean that I want to destroy the world, maybe when I was insane but that was a youthful mistake on my part," he said and Meredith thought it over. _

"_i still don't understand, why your not insane...I mean you were pretty crazy at your rebirth." Tom nodded before smirking. _

"_Yes, well I suppose given time I shall tell you about it. It was a fear of mine which made me go to drastic lengths to achieve immortality and while I don't fully regret it, I do regret being so foolish and rushing into it without further research." _

"_Tom?" Meredith said a few minutes latter. _

"_Yes Meredith?" he answered and Meredith smiled. _

"_Make sure to give Vernon and Petunia a rather brutal demise." Tom laughed. _

"_As you wish Redbird, as you wish." _


	11. The Chamber of Secrets, Again!

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

******A/N 3/22/12: Well first of all I want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. This story might not have gotten so far if it wasn't for you all. This next chapter is a little shorter then the last one but I like how it has turned out. A lot of you are interested in what Nagini wrote, and to tell you all the truth...I don't even know yet. I'll let my muse handle that next chapter. Anyways I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and hopefully I got my history right in parts of this - mostly concerning Tom's era and the second world war. ******

******Remember, R&R!******

******This Chapter has been edited as of 3/23/12.  
><strong>****

* * *

><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 10: The Chamber of Secrets, again.**

The following day Meredith was up before the others, showered and ready for a new day. She made sure to have everything ready for Transfiguration that day before heading to the common room with her bag and books, making sure to have locked her trunk so the almost accident with Hermione and her dark arts book didn't happen again. So it was at six in the morning Meredith found herself staring into docile flames and thinking of the night before with Tom.

She had not meant to let that memory slip, but then part of her had thought he already knew of the abuse she'd suffered for years at her relatives hands. Thinking of them brought back the fact she'd sold them out to die some time in the future – she had not noticed until they'd changed the subject and begun another talk on good vs evil and light vs dark that he'd never exactly set a date for their demise. If she wanted she could save them, but she didn't.

There was no love between them and she only vaguely regretted being unable to be there and watch them suffer. Then she realized how cruel that sounded and berated herself mentally, she didn't know if she could actually stand there and watch as they were tortured because she was sure they would be. It was around seven when the door to the common room opened, surprisingly enough since McGonagall never really visited to often unless needed, but there she was.

She had parchments in her hands and a rare yet bright almost smug smile upon her wrinkled face. Walking over to her after spotting her, Meredith closed her diary and replaced it in her bag while looking at her Professor who held out the papers.

"Professor Babbling stayed up rather late last night to work on this for you Ms. Potter," she began as Meredith opened the papers.

"You exam results, I must admit to peaking and I must say Ms. Potter I am astounded! Never have I seen such a passion for learning something so quickly, but then I rationalized it wasn't much of a shock, your parents were rather good in Ancient Runes as well."

Meredith stared at the papers, and her mouth fell open at the grade, 'O'. "What...I actually got an 'O'?"

Professor McGonagall chuckled, still smiling. "Yes, Professor Babbling was quite astounded as well. She was pleased she went ahead and graded it last night. She wanted me to let you know you have one extra day to finish the assignment set yesterday. Ms. Granger can explain it too you and if you have any questions she has office hours before dinner each night."

"Thank you Professor, for bringing me the results," she said and McGonagall nodded.

"Your very welcome Ms. Potter," she said. "I'll see you in Transfiguration after breakfast." With that the elder witch turned and exited the room just as Hermione came down the stairs. With one spared glance at McGonagall Hermione walked over and sat next to Meredith who was still rather shocked. She had never dreamed she'd get a 'O' on her Ancient Runes exam. But it was perfect, at least for the job she'd been considering. She had to options really, becoming a healer, which would allow her to help people and she knew Madam Pomfrey would help her learn, or becoming an Unspeakable.

Unspeakables may work in the Ministry but they were above everyone else, almost above the Minister and could get away with a lot. Not many knew what they did exactly, the Minister didn't even have full details from what she'd read, but she felt it would give her a way out from under the more corrupt of the ministry if she chose that choice and more to the point – the Minister.

She had a while to decide though.

"What was that about?" Hermione asked and Meredith handed the parchments – now folded back up – to her friend.

"My exam results." Hermione let out a breathe before opening the parchments. A few seconds latter Hermione dropped the papers and jumped squealing, something Meredith couldn't ever remember seeing on the bushy haired girl.

"You did it! Oh, this is great, we have classes together and we can work on our assignments - " Meredith chuckled as she stood, stopping the other girl from jumping and Hermione settled down the grin still on her face and she looked rather proud. It was a nice change from the semi-jealous Hermione yesterday from Potions.

"Hermione, calm down. Speaking of assignments though I have to have them ready by Thursday, so McGonagall said I should get the assignment off you," she said and Hermione nodded.

"Of course – it's a good thing we went ahead of bought the sixth year books for you this summer. It would be sort of difficult to share." Hermione grabbed her books out of her bag and then the daily planner she'd been using since their fifth year out of her bag as well. For the next thirty minutes the two girls were sitting on the couch, heads bowed over Hermione's planner and books. Meredith wrote the assignments down quickly on a loose piece of parchment as they waited for Ron to come down from the boys dorm.

"I think I should get you a planner like mine," Hermione said after a moment as she watched Meredith place the parchment into one of her books and then in her bag.

"But it's a Muggle planner Hermione, they don't sell them in the magical world." It was true, the magical world didn't have the kind of planners Hermione used but they had blank parchment books which some used as planners – usually the Half-Bloods or Muggle-Borns.

"If you'll let me use Hedwig I can send a letter to my parents and they can send it back within the week," she said with a shrug.

"I'll pay you back," Meredith said after a moment, usually she didn't want to be a bother for her friends but Hermione was right – A planner like hers would help a lot this year. She was already so turned around with being a Prefect and Quidditch Captain at the same time she didn't want to fall behind because she forgot something important like homework.

"Don't, think of it another birthday gift, or early Christmas present," Hermione said waving her friends words off. Eventually Ron did come down, but it almost seemed like he was the last one – Neville and Ginny had already left for breakfast with half the common room. So it was with a sigh of relief the girls followed Ron to breakfast, but they only had twenty minutes left before Transfiguration.

**xXx**

After first period Meredith separated from her friends and posted tryout on the common room bulletin – after much thought on the subject Meredith had settled for September 13th, which was the Saturday after next. It would give her time to get everything else settled and people who wanted to try out time to decide and ready themselves.

After that she had taken her bag and left the common room on search of Malfoy. She had seen him in Transfiguration but he wasn't at Breakfast when they had arrived. In the last day or two she didn't know what to think about Malfoy. The question remained, was he or wasn't he a Death Eater? Even if he was one, what would she do? It wasn't her problem anymore, she was as Neutral as the Zabini's now, the Dark Lord could do what he wished as long as he didn't hurt her or her friends.

Thinking of that though made her wonder if she'd made the right decision, if her parents would be proud of her as she was now? Tom was a convincing person and she believed him, maybe it was because he'd never truly lied to her. He'd avoided the subject but he'd never out right lied, not even when he'd been trying to kill her. He'd even offered to let her join him when she was eleven. Now that she thought about it, Tom hadn't really killed to many people himself, he had the Death Eaters do that for him and while he thought himself to be evil Meredith wasn't so sure.

She didn't think anyone knew true evil, maybe Tom had been close but he wasn't evil – though he wasn't a nice good person either. Merlin, she hated thinking about him, just as much as she loved thinking of him. Had her mind been this dedicated to thoughts of Voldemort before this year?

Meredith shook her train of thought as she rounded a corner to come within feet of Draco who seemed to be searching for something, but not finding it. Looking around she recognized this as the fifth floor, and as far as she knew there was thing worth mention on this floor. Not really anyways.

"Draco, fancy seeing you here," Meredith said as she approached. She smirked as the blond jumped a foot in the air before turning towards her. His eyes were wide and weary and his hair she noticed looked a bit out of place – especially for someone as vain as him.

"What do you want?" Malfoy sneered, straightening himself up after a second. Meredith circled him before shrugging.

"Nothing, I was just looking for you. See how you are?" Malfoy snarled.

"This game of yours is starting to get on my nerves Potter," he snapped, his face lowered close to her in his anger. "Stay away from me."

"Now Malfoy, why would I want to do that?" she asked, pretending to look innocent. "You know this game as you put it can end."

"Really?" he asked raising an eyebrow. Meredith nodded with a wicked gleam in her eyes and smile on her face.

"Mmmhm, just tell me what I want to know." Meredith looked up at him as she came closer – he had backed up two sentences ago realizing how close they were. "Are. You. A. Death Eater?"

Malfoy's face turned red. "Your crazy if you think I'll deny or admit to that!" he hissed and backed away. Meredith hmm'd.

"Have it your way then," she said. "See you at lunch."

With hard eyes Malfoy watched as the redhead walked away, probably to her next class since he was sure that break was almost over. He gritted his teeth, how he hated her. Especially at times like this when it was abundantly clear Meredith Lily Potter had Black blood, and potent at that. But then from what his mother had told him the Potter's were closely related to them before Dorea Black married Charlus Potter and had James Potter.

With his right instinctively going to his left arm Malfoy rubbed it soothingly before leaving just as the bell indicating second period and end of break sounded. He was thankful he didn't have Herbology this year since he was sure that was where Potter was headed next.

_'Theo was right though, she stubborn and rather cunning,'_ Malfoy thought to himself as he left the corridor. As he left he didn't notice a equally as tall, dark haired, green eyed boy stepping out from the same corner Meredith had come from before she'd begun talking to Malfoy.

Theo watched as Malfoy walked away, his mind contemplating what he'd seen and heard. At first he'd been confused as to why Meredith would talk to Malfoy at all. Even when he and Meredith had dated she had never showed any interest in Malfoy but now with the prospect that Malfoy was a Death Eater she was all over him. It annoyed him more then he liked to admit, but then a lot annoyed him these days. It had started when they'd broken up, and though he'd played it cool he could still remember the day clearly;

"_Merry!" _

_Theo heard from the Gryffindor table and looked up. Meredith was walking over to them, her face a mixture of sadness, ice and determination. Her red hair flowed down her back like a halo of fire in the bright lights of the great hall and her pale skin made her mix-matched eyes light up. Sometimes he found it hard to believe she was his girlfriend, and others he realized it was only right. Meredith Potter was the only one worthy of him. _

"_Great, your girlfriend," Pansy sneered a few seats away and Malfoy snorted. They'd come out not long ago, but he wasn't comfortable to admit that they'd been having problems. _

"_Theo," Meredith said as she stopped across from him. _

"_Lily-Flower," he said, his eyes drinking her in. he loved her, maybe not the fluffy-bunny kind where all he wanted to do was make her happy, but he loved her none the less and given time he could become that for her. He raised an eyebrow upon noticing her slight wince at the nickname which usually made her smile and stood. _

"_We need to talk Theo," she said. "About us." _

_Those close enough to hear looked at each other and began to whisper. Even in the wizarding world those words together were never a good sign. Theo blinked but nodded. _

"_We can talk over there," he said pointing to a corner closet to the door of the great hall. Everyone was looking now and Meredith bit her lip but nodded. _

"_What is it my Flower?" Theo asked, brushing back a strand of her hair. Meredith twisted away from the hand and back up a little, her face down trodden. _

"_I can't do this anymore," she whispered. Theo's brows knitted together in confusion. _

"_What? I don't understand Meredith, did someone say something to you?" he asked, his eyes going cold. Meredith shivered at the ice that covered her soon to be ex-boyfriends green eyes and shook her head. _

"_No, but I just can't do this anymore. Theo it was great while it lasted but we're to different people." Meredith gave him a sad look before continuing. "Your on the road to being a Death Eater like your father and I'm the Girl-Who-Lived. It would never work."_

"_Don't, don't say that love," he said, his voice almost pleading but not quite begging. "We can make it work, The Dark Lord won't hurt you if your with me Flower." _

"_That's just it, I don't want to be with you anymore! You don't understand me as well as you think you do Theo, I don't want anything to do with Voldemort and my Godfather...you don't even care do you?" _

"_Your Godfather was foolish to go there," Theo said softly. "He got himself killed, blood traitors usually do." Meredith glared. _

"_It's over Theo, just leave me alone." Meredith turned to go but Theo caught her arm in a tight grip. _

"_I love you Meredith." Meredith shook her head and wrenched her arm out of his hard grip. _

"_I don't love you though." Theo stared at her before nodding. _

"_If that's what you want then," he said and she nodded before walking away. He leaned against the wall and gritted his teeth, his fist so tight the knuckles were turning white. It wasn't over yet, maybe he could still win her back. She was his first after all. _

Theo sighed as he came out of the memory replaying in his head. It didn't matter that she was playing a game of some sort with Malfoy, his plan would be successful and he had Slughorn's lessons to thank for that. She would be his again, like it should have been all along.

Unfortunately for Theo he didn't realize that Meredith was already spoken for, even if she and Tom hadn't realized it yet.

**xXx**

"_You should get the package tomorrow," Tom said as they sat across from each other once more. It seemed almost a ritual by now to start off with Occlumency and then animagus training. But today they had begun to discuss Meredith's day and classes. _

"_Thank you," she said. "Tom, what was Hogwarts like when you were in school?" _

_Tom looked at her with an raised eyebrow, as if he thought her question was completely asinine, but he answered anyways. "It was much the same I suppose. We went to classes, breakfast, lunch, dinner. Sometimes pranks would be played but not so much as today, after all I grew up in a completely different era. Things were expected of us, we were to be the best we could be, there was not time for silly games like today." _

"_What about Quidditch?" Tom sighed. _

"_It was around, completely useless as it was." Meredith smile and tried to picture Tom in the air playing Quidditch but it looked and sounded completely ridiculous. _

"_I take it you didn't play?" Tom shook his head. _

"_Not even a little, I detested the sport. Besides I have no need for a broom to fly," he said and Meredith's eyes widened. _

"_You can fly?" she breathed out the question and Tom smirked smugly. _

"_I can, it takes a bit of concentration though. The last thing you want is to fall fifty or a hundred feet because a bird flew past you." _

"_So you didn't play Quidditch, what about girls? Or did you like boys?" Tom glared but could tell by the smirk and mischievous look in her eyes she simply teasing. _

_It was an odd feeling, no one but Nagini had ever done that, ask him things and tease all in good nature fun. The more he was around this girl the more questioned himself and cursed these dreams. They were changing him slowly, he could feel it with each new emotion he began to feel. _

"_I find it odd you wish to know that Merry," Tom said smirking, his eyes holding an amused light. "I did not date much, or at all really. The term date wasn't even used much back then I don't believe, more courting then anything." Meredith sat with a slightly confused face but was clearly listening to every word. _

_Tom shrugged as he continued. "Of course it was much more relaxed by the time I was old enough to date as you say, but I prefer to call what I had as...flings. I wasn't interested in love, and in wizardry world courting is still used just not as much – it has a slightly different meaning since most Purebloods do not use the term anymore and simply create Betrothals between their children to keep the line pure."_

"_Betrothals? They actually still do that today?" she asked and he nodded. _

"_Yes, many are today. I believe Narcissa Malfoy is working on breaking one with Draco and Pansy Parkinson." Meredith looked at Tom with wide eyes and seeing the hidden question he smiled. "You would not have to worry of that. Parents and guardians are the only ones who can make them and the Potter's have not used a Betrothal since the eighteen hundreds."_

_Meredith sighed. "You know of my home life, but I don't know much about yours." Seeing Tom's surprised expression Meredith clarifies. "You don't have to show me any memories or anything, or even talk about it but what was the Orphanage like?" _

_Tom looked at Meredith. _"_I do not know what they were like elsewhere, or even today but back then it was hell. There was never any room for comfort from someone who actually loved you. Many would leave scarred by their time there, but no one cared. The Matron of the Orphanage was a harpy of a lady, and back then because of the great depression the orphanage was poorer then he had once been. Food was scarce and money was hard to come by, and because of that, having clothing of your own, clean clothes at that, was rare."  
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"_Children are cruel little Redbird, and because of times and the second world war broke out when I was fairly young, thirteen I think. It lasted until I was at the end of my seventh year, and for those years living in Muggle London in a already run down Orphanage it was always a fear that you'd not wake up the next morning." _

"_Makes it sound like I had it good compared," Meredith muttered and Tom blinked before shaking his head. _

"_We both had poor excuses for childhoods and homes Meredith. The ones who were supposed to take care of us failed, and the Dursley's are worst then what I had because they were two adults with a small son taking in a orphaned relative; Not a large run down Orphanage matron taking in another orphaned baby with no ties to her. I hated the Orphanage and the children there, and I acted upon that when I was of age and left but the neglect and abuse I suffered there was different," he said and Meredith sighed before raising her head and grinning. _

"_Let's change the subject, we could talk about if Draco is a Death Eater or not," she said hopefully and Tom threw his head back and laughed. _

"_I won't say a word. You'll have to get it out of him, but I don't understand why you want to know so much. If I have him doing something would you report it I wounder?" Tom asked looking at her quizzically. Meredith blushed lightly and shook her head. _

"_No, it not my problem whatever he's doing. Dumbledore couldn't be blind to it if he is, but then his hand..." she trailed off and Tom furrowed his brow. _

"_What about the old coots hand?" he asked. _

"_It's black...shriveled. I thought you knew, I thought it might have been you actually." Tom looked at her perplexed, his mind wondering to what could have possibly happened. _

"_You have lessons with him soon correct?" Meredith nodded. _

"_Try and get him to tell you what happened to it, if he does tell you you can let me know next we meet." Meredith chuckled dryly. _

"_You make me sound like such a snitch..." Tom smirked. _

"_You are a rather good spy in his affairs aren't you darling Merry?" the way her name was almost purred out made Meredith's mouth go dry and her head fill light at the same time. She didn't say anything though as she met red eyes with her own. _

"_I'd like to think I'm more then a spy," she muttered and Tom smiled so lightly it almost appeared nonexistent. _

"_Yes, well spy's are hard to come by at times. At least loyal ones." Meredith looked at him and bit her lip. _

"_What of Snape? Is he with you or Dumbledore?" Tom looked at her strangely before chuckling. _

"_Snape is neither here nor there. He is and always will be his own man, he will chose a side for keeps when he knows who will win and only then. That is if I keep him alive, he has been a...hindrance more then a help in some areas. Time will tell I guess." _

"_I was trying to get into the R.O.R today, to go over some of the spells in the dark arts for beginners -" Meredith looked at him as she spoke. "It wouldn't open. I can't risk being caught and that's the only room I know that would work." _

"_You found the Room of Requirement?" he asked and she smiled smugly. _

"_Of course, I assume you did as well. Anyways I found it last year for the DA and now I can't get it to let me in." Tom hummed before nodding. _

"_I see, it is probably because someone is already inside. Unless you want to blast it open – which I do not recommend – I think another place would be best." _

"_But where?" she asked. _

"_The Chamber of course, you can get in if you so desire." He shrugged. "There is a library inside the mouth where the Basilisk came from along with a bed chamber and places to sit. It is where I took my more...delicate studies to when I was in school." _

"_That could work," she said. "That it won't for the DA meetings." _

"_Well there is always the dueling room for that, but what pray tell is this DA. You're not building a army now are you Merry?" he asked, his voice as close to teasing as the Dark Lord could get. _

"_No, the DA was started last year when the pink toad demon, Umbitch taught DADA. She wasn't teaching us anything so we started the DA and I taught them. Not exactly my idea but I figured it was better then failing our OWLS." Tom nodded. _

"_Most definitely, I don't recall anyone named Umbitch though -" _

"_Delores..." Meredith began but Tom nodded and finished for her. _

"_Delores Jane Umbridge – she's a Death Eater." Meredith's eyes widened. _

"_WHAT!" Tom winced. _

"_Hmm, yes. She was in school around the time of your parents first year, a seventh year I think. How she got into Hufflepuff I'll never know, bit of a sadist If I ever saw one. Bellatrix took great pleasure in annoying the woman when she could and even killed the woman's fiancee – Hector Umbridge," Tom said and Meredith raised an eyebrow. _

"_Hector Umbridge, but you said fiancee not husband." Tom smirked and let out a chuckle. _

"_Yes, well Delores was such an...unattractive woman she had to settle for a betrothal with her half-brother, who wasn't exactly a looker either." At Meredith's disgusted face he continued. _

"_Don't be so shocked Merry, inbreeding amongst wizards and witches has been done since the beginning. Though it is unheard of today to be as closely related as siblings, Delores was the first in over a century. Magic is an odd thing, supposedly stops any retardation and deformities but uh...it doesn't seem to work after a few generations of too closely inbreeding and not enough powerful magic. Like Delores Umbridge for example – thankfully she never got to reproduce with her intended. I'd hate to see what their spawn would have been like." _

"_Thank Merlin we're in a dreamscape, I don't think I would have been able to keep my dinner down otherwise," Meredith said as she shook the images. "I guess I never realized how backwards the wizarding world was." _

"_Yes, I suppose. There is a reason for the Mudbloods after all, to keep our magic strong even if at the sacrifice of our purity." _

"_I wish you wouldn't call them Mudbloods," she said and Tom nodded after a moment. _

"_I'll try to behave myself." _

"_Tom?" _

"_Yes Meredith?" _

"_Kill Umbitch for me," Meredith said looking up at him as she rubbed her right hand which had the words, I must not tell lies carve into it. Tom noticed the movement and raised any eyebrow, it looked like the work of a blood quill. "Please?" _

"_You seem to be asking that of me a lot, tell me what has warranted such bloodlust? I know why you don't care for the Dursley's death, and wish to be the one to strike down Bella but why Umbridge?" he asked. _

"_Because she scarred me, belittled me and tried to cast a Cruciatus on me, threatened my friends. Maybe I just don't like her. Maybe I blame her for Sirius' death because I'm sick of blaming myself." Meredith pushed down tears and Tom nodded. _

"_Consider it done." _

"_Tom?" Meredith asked a few seconds latter, and Tom raised an eyebrow. _

"_Yes?" _

"_Hogwarts has a dueling room?" Tom laughed as Meredith sat blinking in her confusion. Personally, she didn't see what was so funny. _

**xXx**

Meredith woke with a start, sitting straight up in her bed. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she glanced over and grabbed her wand from under her pillow. With a quick flick she mutter, "Tempus" and the glowing numbers appeared letting her know what time it was. 5:30...kind of early to be waking up but she had woken up earlier on many occasion growing up just to steal some food from the Dursley's kitchen or make them breakfast.

The Chamber of Secrets, Meredith smiled as she threw her covers off and jumped out of her bed, making as little sound as possible. Thankfully it seemed Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione were sound asleep. After changing into her robes – since she didn't know if she'd make it back in time to change – and grabbing her bag she left the dorm. Once downstairs she took out her invisibility cloak and threw it on, which was a lot easier since it was just her and she could wear as a cloak instead of a make-shift blanket.

"Hello, who's there?" a familiar voice ask as she entered the girls bathroom minutes latter.

She cursed under her breathe and wondered if she should show herself or not. Myrtle wasn't a terrible ghost but then she wasn't the best at keeping her mouth shut. With a sigh she kept the cloak on and walked over to the sink she remembered so fondly – note the sarcasm - from her second year.

_::Open,:: _Meredith hissed and she heard Myrtle squeak and thought she heard the splash of a toilet as it opened. Probably brought back memories for the ghost girl. Looking at the imposing slimy slide Meredith winced. She really didn't want to go down that slide, and come to think of it she couldn't see Tom doing so either. After spitting out a few words in Parsaltongue hoping for an alternative way down she sighed and slid down the pipes -holding her cloak up so it wouldn't be hurt by any slim or other such things. her robes were easily repaired with magic but her cloak was priceless - at least to her.

The outer chamber was exactly like she remembered, snake skin and all. As she walked threw the tunnels she had to hope the small animal bones – probably from rats and school pets which wondered where they shouldn't have – had been from the Basilisk and not something Tom had been experimenting on. When she had finally reached the rock pile she had to draw her wand and carefully make the opening bigger without caving the whole place in. once or twice she was sure she was a goner but her seemingly infallible luck seemed to hold.

As soon as the hole was big enough she only had to walk a little ways to reach the entrance to the main chamber. Standing in front of the vault like door she hissed, _"Open"_, and the door swung open. Leaping off the ladder leading into the chamber she froze. The Basilisk was still there, and it looked as if it hadn't rotted a day. The fang which had pierced her arm was laying a few feet away, next to where Ginny had been. For the first time she wondered what had happened to Tom's diary?

"I can't believe I killed that thing," she muttered to herself and she thought back to that day. Tom had been a rather nasty person that day, but then was it really Tom? The shade of Tom Riddle had said he was simply a memory preserved in the diary for fifty years – though she was unsure why Tom would have wanted to do such a thing. After all the memory seemed rather mental when they'd met, and she doubted he would have wanted to share the world with Voldemort had he regained his life through Ginny's death.

No, she much preferred the Tom she knew today – evil Dark Lord or not.

"Now where did Tom say this bed chamber was again?" she asked herself as she skirted around the large Basilisk, unwittingly standing in the exact stop the memory Riddle had stood as he had opened the statue of Slytherin for the Basilisk to exit.

**'**_There is a library inside the mouth where the Basilisk came from...'_ – Meredith's eyes lit up as she remembered Tom's words and after a moment – and a urgent wish to get away from the creepy dead Basilisk which she was afraid would spring up any moment, as if it had faked its own death – she raised her left arm out towards the statue.

She remembered seeing the memory do this, though she was unsure if it was for dramatic effect or necessary but she felt it was best to be on the safe side. She stood like that for a moment and after shaking the past from her mind she spoke, _::__Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four.:: _

The statues mouth opened and just like that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. Again.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay guys, this chapter has been edited, things changed so if you're reading this chapter and don't recognize bits that is the reason. I want you all to thank Shiro Anbuis for this because without her I would not have been able to notice many of the errors she helped me fix. **


	12. Dead Isn't Just a State of Mind

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

******A/N 3/24/12: Okay, this next chapter is one of my favorites, we get some shocks and surprises along with some gore. I am going to Warn you now that the first scene is rather violent and gory to those who have a weak stomach might want to be aware before hand. I hope everyone likes this chapter as well, it's something I worked pretty hard on since I know everyone wants to know what's in Nagini's letter. Unfortunately there are no Dreamscapes in this one but the next chapter is going to have a very large portion dedicated to that so I'll get the next chapter out by Tuesday hopefully, Wednesday by the latest. Enjoy! ******

******Remember, R&R!******

******WARNING!: TORTURE, DEATH, AND VIOLENCE! And not exactly in the order, this is your last warning in case you didn't get the memo above.  
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><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 11: Dead Isn't Just a State of Mind.**

Tom had plans to make, many plans and some, well most had to do with death. Not his own, not even close, but the deaths of three muggles and a Death Eater. When he had woken from his sleep last night he had went over the whole ordeal. In the span of a month Meredith Lily Potter really had changed, and he couldn't help but feel smug about it. After all, it was probably all the time she spent with him that brought out her more cruel personality traits.

How she had fooled that hat into placing her in the lions den he would never know, because he knew a true Slytherin when he met one. Pacing across the floor of his meeting chamber – the chamber he held Death Eater meetings in that is – he waited impatiently for Wormtail to arrive. He had decided to call Wormtail and to have him call Umbridge – no time like the present to get rid of a nuisance.

A nuisance was all Delores Umbridge was really. He remembered initiating her into the Death Eaters on the soul reason of her being unmarried, unattractive, and working in the Ministry. It was for this reason her mark was on her right arm instead of her left – he didn't need one of his inside sources revealed and no one really checked both arms, not even during the first war.

"Wormtail!" Tom called again as he slipped quickly into his snake-like form. He held his wand between his hands, impatiently tapping the tip against his right hand as he waited. Looking down at his side he noticed Nagini was slithering around with him, looking rather smug for a snake. He raised a nonexistent eyebrow and sighed.

_::Nagini have you seen Wormtail this morning?:: _he hissed in question and Nagini raised her head and shook it, it would have been a massive shock for a human to see a snake being so...human for lack of better word. Nagini wasn't a young snake though, and being his familiar meant living as long as he did unless killed by unnatural means.

_::I'm afraid not Master,:: _she replied and Voldemort sighed before using his own link to the Dark Marks to call on Umbridge. He'd have to search for Wormtail latter, what he didn't realize was that Nagini had attempted to cross her tail – sort of like how humans would cross their fingers when being deceptive or making promises they had no plans to keep.

_::How is Meredith –:: _Nagini stopped mid sentence as she tasted the name on her tongue, it being the first time she'd actually called the red-she-snake by her name. _:: – my Lord?:: _

Tom gazed down at his familiar and narrowed his red eyes before running a hand over his bald head. He would be rather grateful when he could shed this form for the day, it wasn't that it bothered him greatly but he missed having hair to actually run his hands through and he felt significantly colder in this form. Before he could answer, Umbridge had already arrived. Turning he stretched his lips into a grin that he was sure looked rather frightening.

"Unmask yourself Deloresss," Voldemort said, his s' stretched as he mixed Parsaltongue with English to give it a more frightening effect. Umbridge did so, the round short woman shook in front of him and he rolled his eyes mentally at her. It was a testament of how unbalanced he'd been when recruiting this toad like woman.

Voldemort circled her, his wand twirling nonchalantly in his left hand as he did this, Umbridge sinking to her knees as if trying to appease a possibly angry god.

"My Lord," she said, trying to regain her courage. "The rumors are true then, you have returned?"

Voldemort stopped in front of her and fought the urge to roll his eyes upward to the sky as if to ask whatever god was up there what he'd done to deserve such a incompetent and unintelligent woman. It was no wonder she was a Hufflepuff!

She was not cunning nor ambitious enough for Slytherin, not intelligent enough for Ravenclaw and nowhere near brave enough to be a Gryffindor. He couldn't even see how she could be a hard working Hufflepuff. The only quality she seemed to possess was a sociopathic tendency and loyalty enough to feed a hundred Hufflepuff's.

Did this woman seriously not know he'd been back for nearly three years? It was true, he had not called on her in that time, mostly because he didn't see the point, she was a useless lump of flesh. His plans did not need her assistance. The fact her Dark Mark was now a dark black should have made it obvious that he was back, but then this woman was not the smartest robe in the closet.

"I have been back for two year now Deloress, but then I never truly died to begin with," he said. "How have you been, did you enjoy the quiet while I was reduced to a mere wraith of former self?"

His words were biting and filled with mockery, as if to tell her he was repulsed that while he was forced to live through animals, a mere shadow of his self that she would go on to be successful and healthy – well as healthy as a toad could be. Umbridge shook as she leaned down to kiss his robes but he moved back not allowing her that act of intimacy. He had no wish to further sully his robes or person with her filthy self.

"You disappoint me Delores, have I not been a kind and fair Lord?" he asked. "Have I not given to you in the past, have I asked of you something that would stop you from helping your master when in his time of need?"

"No, my Lord please! I only live to serve you!" Voldemort sneered at her, his red eyes burning into her bulging toad-like blue ones.

"You do? Tell me Delores what were you doing last year at Hogwarts?" Umbridge froze but then her face broke into a grin, an a smug air swirled around her. It was repulsive.

"My Lord I was teaching on the request of Fudge. The students were taught from books, and I was able to punish many while there. Potter, she will be scarred forever because of my blood quills." Delores grinned, her eyes hopeful. "I am regretful I was unable to kill her for you my Lord, I'll do whatever you wish of me."

Voldemort's eye twitched, so quick that he doubted the woman caught the action. How foolish could the woman be, to hurt Potter so without permission. Two, three months ago he may not have minded, he may even have laughed but whatever Meredith had done to him made his anger swell at the thought of anyone, man or woman touching her. Delores would be punished, permanently.

"Anything?" he muttered and then looked back to Nagini who had curled up beside his throne like chair. ::Nagini, why don't you show Delores what we do with rubbish.::

"My Lord?" Umbridge questioned as the large snake slithered closer to her and around her, squeezing and she felt her breathe come shorter and raspier as Nagini crushed her chest slowly and painfully.

"Potter is mine Delores," he told the slowly dying woman. "She is mine to do with as I please! Mine to kill, mine to preserve, mine to hurt, mine to hold...mine to love!" Umbridge's eyes widened comically as Nagini hissed in her ear, an almost laughing hiss. Voldemort himself had to hide his own shock, for the first time in a long time – so long he couldn't even remember the last time – he had uttered the word love about someone other then himself or to mock it and it didn't repulse him as much as he thought it would.

_::Bout time he admits it,::_ Nagini muttered to herself but of course Voldemort heard. With a annoyed glance Voldemort raised his wand.

_::Lighten up my dear Nagini, we don't want her to die just yet.::_ Nagini sighed as she lightened her squeeze but stayed wrapped around the woman in case she tried to run. Not that she could, Nagini was fairly sure she had broken almost all the woman's ribs, or at least caused small fractures along them.

"You should not have touched what did not belong to you," he hissed angrily. "Crucio!"

The bright spell egress out from his wand and collided with Umbridge who began to squirm, shake and scream all at once. Because of Nagini though it wasn't as all over the place and as she shook Nagini alternated between harder squeezes and lighter ones. Voldemort's high pitched, cold laugh echoed through the room with her screams and then after what felt like hours the spell ended.

"M-my Lo-o-rd..." it was all she could get out of her battered body, anyone else may have lasted a bit longer but Umbridge was a very weak woman. Unfortunately for her Voldemort was not through with her.

_::Nagini, I don't believe a dry bite would go amiss,::_ Voldemort hissed and Umbridge began to sob quietly. _::If you'd please.:: _

Nagini hissed her enjoyment as she wound tighter around the woman and then as she reared back she lunged forward seconds latter. Unbridge screamed as the large snakes fangs sunk deep, as deep as they could go, into her collarbone area. It was not close enough to have torn her throat out but was aimed to cause the most pain possible.

_'Detestable woman,' _Nagini thought to herself._ 'Could have ruined all my plans for Tom and Meredith. __How dare she stand in the way of my grand-hatchlings!' _

_'Let's just squeeze a little more.'_ Nagini thought as she released her teeth from the woman's flesh. She would gladly admit this woman tasted horrendous. She'd ate roadkill – though not by choice but necessity – that tasted better. She snickered as blood gushed from the wound, as smallish as it was.

"Yes, I dear say our friend is rethinking all she knows," Voldemort said as he chuckled. Twirling his wand lazily he suddenly leveled it at the woman who's eyes widened. She had obviously thought it was over.

"Imperio," he cast and as the spell hit her eyes glazed over. _'Scratch your eyes out Delores.' _

He watched in silence as the woman struggled to get out of Nagini grip and Voldemort waved Nagini off. As Nagini slid along the floor to Voldemort's side the woman screamed pitifully as she began to sink her fingers into her eyes, blood and other liquids began to run down her face and fingers.

_'Stop!' _Umbridge stopped immediately, sobbing and Voldemort lifted the curse. He laughed as the toad fell to the floor in a shaking pile and retched, the contents of her stomach landing under her and she wallowed, screamed and cried in a pit of despair and vomit.

"Now, now Delores. We must not cry over spilt milk as the muggles say, after all you brought this on yourself," Voldemort said.

_::Master are we done with her yet, she is of no more fun,::_ Nagini said, clearly bored. _::She has befouled the floor and is much to loud for her own good.:: _

_::Agreed Nagini, but I believe I can fix that.:: _Voldemort raised his wand again and a bright yet sickly orange glow surrounded his wand as he hissed. "Ut tare sicco."

The orange light hit Umbridge and she arched upwards as her head was thrown back, the place were her eyes should have been showed that had she still had them they'd have bulged. With a jerking motion of his wand he watched with fascination as the woman's throat practically erupted from the inside out as her tongue and voice box were forcefully torn from her body. As the bloody mess of organs landed in front of her the woman collapsed on the floor, bleeding heavily and gasping like a fish out of water.

_::Creative, very nice my Tom,::_ Nagini applauded with a laughing hiss.

_::Thank you my dear,::_ he replied before flicking his wand and a familiar green curse struck out and hit the lump of dying flesh on his floor. "Well, I door believe she is dirtying my floors. Bieber!"

Seconds latter a skinny, house elf – yet obviously several decades old – appeared. He wore something similar to a long pillow case with but wasn't dirty by any means and had the Slytherin crest sown into the left breast side of the cloth.

"Lord Riddler called for Bieber sir?" the house elf said slowly, his voice old and soft. Voldemort nodded and waved at the mess of blood, vomit and flesh on the stone floors.

"Yes, send this sack of rubbish to the Ministry's entrance and return to clean this floor. After which you can arrange for lunch in an hour and prepare Nagini some food that meets her needs," he said and Bieber the house elf nodded and got to work as Voldemort left with Nagini at his heels.

**xXx**

Meredith had stayed in the Chamber until eight that morning, finding the bed chamber, library and general sitting area inside the mouth had been the easy part. Levitating herself up into the mouth of the statue had been a tad bit harder. Finding a way out of the chamber had been even harder then getting passed the rock pile from the crave in five years ago. Needless to say Tom had been right about the library having books of interest.

Many were old, some she feared would turn to dust in her hands so she didn't even attempt to pick them up. There was a row of books in a bookcase in the bed chamber she thought might be journals, probably of Salazar Slytherin but she did not touch them for fear of a nasty curse. She would have to ask Tom about everything next time they met, and possibly find out if there was a simply way into the chamber then that blasted slide!

She had found a way out though, thanks to a bit of luck and snooping. It turned out there was a exit behind a portrait in the bed chamber that led up a staircase and out of another portrait outside the doors of the Great Hall. She was lucky she had gotten there at a time that no one was walking to or from the Great Hall, or she'd have had to come up with a believable story quick.

Breakfast was a quiet affair at first but she talked happily with her friends when they arrived. Hermione had been worried since she was not there when she'd woken but Meredith had come up with a quick excuse of coming to Breakfast early to prepare for her first Ancient Runes class and DADA right after. If there was one thing she dreaded today if was class with Snape.

"So I talked to a few of the DA members from last year," Hermione said quietly, thankful that not many people were sitting close to them and not close enough to over hear if they were quiet. Ron stopped stuffing his mouth as he, Ginny, and Neville looked up to pay attention. Meredith swallowed the eggs she'd already been chewing calmly and looked at her friend.

"What did they say?" Meredith asked.

"Some are interested in continuing, some aren't but I think that is mostly because it is Snape teaching and they don't want to risk his wrath," Hermione said rolling her eyes. "Katie, Luna, Susan, Hannah, and Colin are interested and they're spreading the word around to trustworthy people. Before we know it we'll be up and running."

"Great!" Ron exclaimed as he dug back into his food.

"So are we still meeting in the R.O.R?" Ginny asked and Hermione went to nod but Meredith shook her head before she could.

"No," Meredith said. "We'll be meeting in a new room I've been searching for, a dueling chamber. I guess it hasn't been used in a few centuries or something. To many people know how to get in and while we may not get in trouble for the DA this year we don't want it to get back to Snape too soon."

"Good idea," Neville said nodding.

"I thought so, anyways I think we should also change the DA's name, Dumbledore's Army was fine last year but it got him in a lot of trouble and I just don't think it would be appropriate to have such a flamboyant name," Meredith said and the four looked at each other. They weren't dumb, they knew part of it was the falling out she'd had with the Headmaster last year but they didn't say anything. If she wished to change the DA's name then so be it.

"Okay, but to what?" Ginny asked as she speared a sausage and Meredith shrugged.

"I don't know, Defense Association was a pretty good suggestion despite coming from Cho," she said. "I'd like to keep the shortened form to DA."

"Yeah, or we could go all out and call our self Potter's Army instead," Ginny said with a mischievous smirk. The other chuckled at Meredith's green face and the redhead shook her head.

"No, definitely not! Right now we'll keep Defense Association and if we can come up with another a word that could work in the future we'll change it." the five friends nodded and looked up startled as the bell rang for the first class of the day.

"We'll see you after class," Hermione said waving to Ron, Ginny and Neville as she and Meredith split off to head to Ancient Runes.

The class was interesting to say the least, and Professor Babbling was a very hyper active teacher and seemed to really enjoy teaching and know what she was doing. She sat with Hermione during the class and though her mind kept going back to the Chamber she was able to pay enough attention to get by the class. This week was just full of shocks and information, though she supposed the best news was she'd never have to go back to the Dursley's.

She smirked, with the death of her Aunt and Cousin the last of her Mother's blood would be gone and the wards would splinter and crack - though she was sure they already were weak to begin with and Tom would have no problem shattering them, especially with her not being there. She wondered how Dumbledore would take it?

After Ancient Runes was DADA and it was a lesser version of hell on earth. It seemed Snape did not take well to being insulted and showed up last class and was particularly nasty to them – especially her – as they once again tried non-verbal spell casting. She actually had a bit more luck with it this time around but of course Snape tried everything to belittle her and her achievements.

"He's being rather nasty today, aye Potter?" Zabini said as he walked over to her, Snape having demanded she work with Zabini instead of Ron after one of his rants. Meredith looked at the dark skinned boy and shrugged.

"Well, he's probably never been laid in his life so..." she shrugged off amazed the usually silent boy let out a chuckle.

"Nice," he said as he raised his wand and she was sure by the concentrated look on his face he was trying to cast a spell at her, and she held her wand at the ready. She didn't know if she'd be able to shield but she would try and thanks to her Quidditch reflexes she was rather good at dodging even at the last minute. "_Rictusempra! _"

She snorted as she heard the muttered curse and as the light traveled towards her she flicked her wand and with determination said the spell in her mind. To her elation a shield did appear, no matter how weak it seemed to be, and it did hold back the curse long enough for her to move out of the way before it shattered and the spell hit the wall behind her. Blaise smirked.

"Pretty good Potter," he said. "Listen, I heard about what you said to Malfoy yesterday. Be careful, and I don't just mean with Malfoy either. No matter how it seems Theo didn't take your break up as well as it seemed." Meredith raised an eyebrow.

"I don't get it? Why are you telling me this?" Zabini ran a hand through his hair.

"Maybe I like you, maybe I see a puzzle I want to solve? Maybe it's not up to me and I'm just some puppet saying exactly what some fan girl in another world dictates..." Zabini blinked, confusion on his usually expressionless face. Meredith blinks as well.

"What?"

"Don't, I didn't get coffee this morning, so that's probably it," he said shrugging. "Anyways just watch your back with Nott, he's been acting strange lately."

Meredith nodded, still unsure of things. Why would Theo do anything to her? Sure they'd broken up a little on the messy side but while they're relationship had been fun she had no feelings beyond platonic for the boy. Looking over to where Theo was partnered with Goyle she sighed, she would take Zabini's advice seriously and watch her back around Theo. The two continued to practice the rest of the class and then they had break and a free period back to back.

With a smile she bid farewell to Hermione who actually had a thing in the library – her own words mind you – and Ron was headed to the common room. She told them she was just going to search a little for the dueling chamber and would meet them either before free period ended or before class. After she was sure they were out of sight she made a b-line for the Chamber of Secrets, dreading the fact she'd need to take the slide again – since further prodding of the portrait outside the great hall showed that it was a one way door, an exit and could not be accessed from outside the Chamber.

**xXx**

Meredith spent the next two hours – or close enough anyways – in the chamber's bedroom working on her Ancient Runes which was due tomorrow. Thankfully she was already half through it and would be able to complete it easily before tomorrow. She wanted to read some of the books around her as well, dark arts books which almost seemed to sing at her, wanting her to open them, but she knew she should first ask Tom about them – to know which ones were safe at her level. Many who had succumbed to dark arts addiction had not started at the proper level and went for the hard stuff which had a adverse effect on a person.

_::So it wasn't my mind playing tricks on me.::_ Meredith jumped up as she heard the voice and spun around. She knew it was Parsaltongue but she couldn't tell where the voice was coming from.

_::Silly girl, thy can not find me. Only a Parselmouth could have heard that correctly.::_ there was a snickering sound and she spun again, her eyes locking on a Portrait she had not noticed before.

It was long and old looking, made with gold and obviously the pain of a thousand years ago. Inside the Portrait was a man who long black hair pulled back by a ribbon of some kind, green in color. He wore old fashioned robes in green, black and silver and had a locket which looked very familiar around his neck. His skin was oddly pale and he had sharp features, reminding her of Tom but it was his eyes that really reminded her of the Dark Lord – they were not red but the dark charcoal green Tom had before falling so deeply into the Dark Arts.

_::Are you Salazar Slytherin?:: _Meredith asked and she watched as the portraits eyebrows shot up in surprise.

_::I am. Are you a descendent of mine? Though you do not look like one of mine though. Your eyes are of very unique coloring...:: _Salazar asked and Meredith blinked before blushing slightly. She'd never been good at taking compliments but until she got to Hogwarts she never really got any.

_::I don't know, I suppose it's possible but if I am it's probably not a direct link. As far as I know the only reason I'm a Parselmouth is because Tom inadvertently passed the gift on to me when he tried to kill me as a baby.:: _

_::Tom you say? Tom Riddle, my heir is still alive today?:: _Salazar asked and Meredith nodded.

_::He is, though most know him as the Dark Lord Voldemort now days. My name is Meredith Potter,::_ she replied and Salazar nodded in understanding.

_::Ah, I see. How did you find my chamber may I ask, only my heir can find this place after all. Are you perhaps Tom's heir?::_ Meredith blinked but shook her head. That would be strange she decided, especially with her conflicted feelings for the dark man in question.

_::No, he told me where to find it so I could study the dark arts without being seen or caught,:: _she said and Salazar nodded.

_::I see, well pass on my regards to Tom for me. I can only assume he has come back to lucidity since I last saw of him?::_

_::You knew of his little...:: _

_::Insane bit? Yes, he studied the arts down here and I saw the signs of him going to far to quickly but he was a stubborn boy, would not listen to reason. I could only hope he found his mind before he lost his life for his foolishness.:: _Salazar said shaking his head. _::Being a Dark Lord is a noble thing but too many have lost themselves and the goals that come with the tittle in reckless abandon of cunning and intelligence. Of course now days the role has a more sinister definition attached to it then in my youth.:: _

Meredith looked at the man in the Portrait with wide eyes before shaking her head and gathering her books. _::I would like to talk to you again sometime when I return Lord Slytherin, but I have lunch now so I must be going.:: _

Salazar nodded, impressed with her manners. _::Go then child, I look forward to seeing you again. I shall help you with your studies of the darker magics if you wish. There is no need for another of my descendents, distant or not to loose their mind to addiction.:: _

_::Descendant?::_ Salazar nodded.

_::Yes, though the Gaunts are the closest to the line now, descended from my eldest son, Sauron, but I had a daughter as well; Serenity, and if you look back far enough on your family tapestry I am sure she would be there having married a Potter. I am sure there are other links to the line since most Pureblooded families are all related one way or another. Tom is probably a very distant cousin, possibly only by marriage but it is hard to say. I do know that before Tom there was a heir to come down here. Ciaus Potter I believe and he had the gift as well but by this time the Potter's were a neutral family, no longer dark but not light either. This was in the late 1700's, long before Tom's birth and Ciaus was distantly related to the Gaunts, were he assumed he received his talent for Parsaltongue despite Serenity's blood in his veins.::_ Salazar shrugged.

_::The fact remains that you are a descendant, no matter how distant the ties are. So there is a chance the gift was born with you but Tom's attack simply activated it.::_ Salazar looked at the stunned redhead and withheld a chuckle. ::Now go, you don't wish to miss lunch I am sure.:: '

Meredith nodded and left, her mind whirling. She knew she should have suspected this since the Potter's were a Pureblooded family but she had never given much thought to them having married into the Slytherin bloodline twice and the Gaunts, they must be Tom's maternal family. She shrugged, it wasn't like it changed anything.

**xXx**

"Where were you Mer?" Ron asked as she sat down beside Hermione and across from Ginny and Ron. She noticed though Ron's attention wasn't solely on them but on Lavender Brown who kept looking up the table at Ron and giggling. Hermione didn't seem to be too amused by this if her savage attack on her roast was anything to go by.

"I was looking for the room and after that simply went to the R.O.R for a while," she said lying smoothly. Thankfully they all seemed to buy it and she let a sigh of relief escape her but they didn't seem to notice.

"His hand is still like that," Hermione said with a sigh and they looked at her oddly before she nodded at the Headmaster who was eating using his left hand. She winced, she may have problems with the Headmaster but she had to admit that hand looked painful.

Maybe if and when she figured out what had happened to it she could ask Tom a way to heal it? He wouldn't like it she was sure but maybe she could appeal to the part of him who wanted to kill the old man himself. After all it may be painful but dying of illness wasn't a satisfying as doing it yourself – Bellatrix would learn just how much she had improved when it came to the Crucio (not that she had gotten that far yet) one day – and maybe Tom would see that. Being the Dark Lord he was she had no doubt he would.

"I'm sure he's fine," Ron said as he shoveled food into his mouth. Hermione shot him a look of disapproval and Meredith sighed.

"I'll ask him about it Saturday," she said. "He might not tell me though."

"Hey look, it's the mail," Ginny said pointing to where herds of owls flowed in. Hedwig was of course one of them and headed straight for her, and she noticed the owl was shooting vindictive glances at a black owl which she remembered from her birthday. She smiled and held out some roast for Hedwig as she landed beside her plate. Hedwig smugly held out the package and took the roast at the same time as the black owl – who she had learned was named Antares – landed a little behind Hedwig but to the side, shooting the white owl a annoyed look.

"Who's owl is that?" Ginny asked, and Meredith could see the question in Ron and Hermione's eyes as well. A quick look at the staff table she could see Dumbledore and Snape talking, probably about her the mystery owl if the eyes on her weren't a huge hint. Antares also had a package, with a letter on top in familiar scrawl and she could only hope Ginny did not recognize it. Though she had noticed the Diary Riddle didn't have the more spidery quality to his writing so maybe she wouldn't no matter how near identical it was.

"Oh, uh just a friends." Hermione raised an eyebrow at the blush on her friends cheeks.

"Well it's not Nott's owl and you haven't mentioned anyone else..." Hermione said hesitantly. Meredith sighed as she untied the packages, and gave Antares a bit of turkey though Hedwig didn't seem to like this at all and pecked at Antares with a bark like hoot – being the kind of owl she was – and Antares returned it in kind.

"Hey, hey you two play nice!" she cried pointing a finger at the two birds who puffed out their chest and took to the air, almost like they were racing each other to the exit. She sighed.

"Meredith?" Ginny pressed.

"I met someone over the summer, he's a Half-blood as well and lived with his foster family who happen to be squibs."

"Does he go here?" Hermione asked and she shook her head.

"No, he went to Durmstrang, he graduated not to long ago - " It was a stretch but it would have to do. "His name is...T...Marvin Thompson." She blushed at the name, Tom was going to have a fit over that.

She couldn't exactly say she was getting a package from Voldemort or Tom Riddle because her friends knew the name he was born with and Marvolo was just as well known to them. Marvin Thompson would have to do, and Marvin did mean 'Great Lord' so maybe if she told him that little tid-bit he wouldn't be so annoyed – though she found it rather cute when he was annoyed. Meredith shook her head and opened the letter, hopefully he knew not to say anything incriminating in a letter to Hogwarts of all places.

**Merry,**

**The books you requested are inside, they have the same charm as the other on them. I will see you soon, and hope you the best while at Hogwarts. Antares is staying there for now, in the owlry so if you wish to reply do so within in a week which is how long I've instructed him to stay. **

**Enjoy the books,**

**MRT. **

Meredith chuckled at the last line, MRT, cunning and thankfully he'd mixed his initials up in a way her alias for him would hold up. It would have to since Hermione snatched the letter from her as she finished reading.

"What books?" Hermione asked. Meredith shook her head.

"Just a few things he recommended. After I read them I'll see about getting you a few copies if I can find them around here. I would let you borrow them but..." she trailed off forcing a blush and Hermione smirked.

"But they have sentimental value, I understand," she said and Meredith smirked on the inside. She was getting better at this lying to her friends thing, not that was a bad liar when she did lie but she always found it harder to lie to those she was close to like Ron and Hermione.

"What does the R stand for?" Ginny asked as she passed the letter back to her and Meredith looked at the other girl. Hopefully she wasn't on to anything.

"Royce, Marvin Royce Thompson."

**xXx**

That night Meredith took her package of books – though the one Hedwig had brought her had been from the Apothecary and Flourish and Blotts so those had stayed in her trunk (except for the history book which she'd ordered for Hermione which she'd promised the bushy haired girl on Monday) – and traveled back to the chamber. She was much to interested in the new books to bother sleeping right now and thankfully she had finished her Ancient Runes and was ready to hand it to Professor Babbling at breakfast the next morning. She would be back in the dorm before anyone even realized she was gone.

_::Back I see.::_ Salazar hissed and Meredith nodded at him as she sat the five books on the table.

One of the books was obviously a sequel to the Dark Arts For Beginners and the four others she didn't recognize at first glance. It was as she looked at 'The Most Vicious Of The Black Arts' – a subcategory of the Dark Arts – that she cursed herself for not using the Black Library at Grimmauld Place as a source for dark books.

Thankfully she knew the books were still at the Black home since, try as Molly might, she could not remove the dark arts books without sufficient and worthy Black blood. She was only related by marriage after all, if she had any blood ties to them it was probably to diluted to register.

She made a mental note to ask _Kreacher_ about it and visit when she got a chance next. Knowing she was allowing the order to use the place she would probably have to ask the Goblins about other homes she may own and move the library there for safe keeping. She could make up a lie about having burned them since she was the only one who had black blood and was able to enter the house to do so.

_::Yes, I'm back. I wanted some time alone to read one the books Tom sent me,:: _she replied and Salazar nodded.

_::Very well, please let me know if you wish any help.:: _Meredith nodded and opened the first book, thumbing through it until she spotted something odd. Inside the book, probably around the middle was a parchment tucked into the pages, a letter. At first she did not move to retrieve it, thinking it might be a letter Tom had received a forgotten inside but as she flipped the sealed letter over she saw in very messy crawl what appeared to be her name;

**MERADITH L. POTER**

**HOGWARTS.**

As she removed it she realized it was rather bulky and red stain was beside her name - which was spelled wrong she might add – and she sat it down hesitantly. Who on earth could have written this, because she was sure Tom hadn't sent it to her, especially since she knew he could spell properly. A wayward house elf maybe? A child, but that seemed even more ridiculous then the house elf theory. Tom didn't have any children running around his home, she was sure of it.

_::Are you not going to open it Meredith?:: _Salazar said suddenly, startling Meredith who was still staring at the parchment.

She sighed and reached down to open it, upon doing this she gently pulled out the paper, which was stained in red, blood she thought suspiciously. She did not endeavor to remove the large bulge just yet though. Instead she opened the letter and began to read what she was shocked to learn was Parsal-Script. At first it was rather hard to reach because of the blood but once she got over that and the messy scrawl she was rather shocked.

_**MEREDITH - **_

_**You do not know me personally, though we have met before. I believe you saw through my eyes last year when I bit the red-human at the magic building, I believe it is called the Ministry of Magic? My name is Nagini, which I am sure you are aware. Excuse me for my sloppy writing, I do not write very often, having no need to do such human things. **_

_**I am writing on behalf of my Tom. He is a rather charming man, no? Handsome as well as powerful and very capable of taking care of a mate. No one could ask for a better mate, I challenge anyone to try, maybe even you? No, I apologize for being brass, we snakes have a way about us that is not like a humans mindset. But I am sure you must admit I am correct about my observations of him, and he is rather lonely. Has been for some time, especially after regaining part of his humanity back. **_

_**He tells me a lot, my bonded, but I admit myself saddened. About what you may ask? Well you may ask but I can not promise a answer, oh no Tom would not like me telling all his secrets now would he? I admit when he first told me of your truce, oath at that that I was rather stricken. **_

_**Not because I was upset but because he had found a companion...a friend I believe humans call them, or partner? Yes, I don't believe I've seen my Tom so happy since he was just getting out of his hatchling years, and even that did not last. Especially when Dumb-as-a-door (that is his name is it not?) refused to allow him admittance as a Professor of the defense against the dark arts. **_

_**I will admit he wasn't completely healthy in his mentality back then but he was not quite a dark lord or insane then either. I must be boring you though and I did not write you without good reason. I fear Tom may be a bit put out with me when he realizes but the worm-tailed one had it coming for many years now. **_

_**Snakes value loyalty in a ways Meredith, and the man has not been loyal but a coward and quite disgusting. So, I send him back to you, though I fear I've already done the deed you must have wished for yourself. After all, dead isn't just a state of mind. **_

_**Please except this snakes most humble apologizes for that.**_

_**Sincerely hoping you will take care of my Tom,**_

_**Nagini. **_

Meredith frowned and sat the letter down as she took up the envelope and turned it upside down. She squeaked as a dead rat feel from inside, and then she collapsed into the chair shocked. On the rats left side was a solid silver paw – Peter Pettigrew was dead.

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><p><strong>AN: So how was it? I thought I should make a note to those who got the house elf joke - Bieber - inspired by the singer who I personally don't like but to those who do don't worry I am not technically bashing on him, maybe just a little. Also the spell Tom used, _Ut tare sicco_, is something I made up with the help of a English to Latin translator and means - to tare out, in this case Umbitch's tongue and voice box/vocal cords.**

**Anyways I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	13. Little Snakey Nailed To The Door

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

******A/N 3/28/12: Hey, everyone first off I'd like to thank everyone! I've hit one hundred reviews and if it wasn't for you all I would not have and this story might not have reached this point. So I thank you all and even those who haven't reviewed but enjoy the story. I would also like to apologize for this late update, I would have finished it yesterday but I was sick, stomach bug and other things I'm sure you don't want the details. Hopefully this makes up for that, it is the longest chapter ever with over twenty pages, almost thirty I believe and over 18,000 words! I am very proud of this. ******

******I am telling you this now though that some of it, mostly the memory scene from the chapter, House of Gaunt, of HBP is from the book but there are many things added and some things changed around and I promise it will be worth the read. I don't want you to miss important information after all. Also I've kicked Scrigmoure - whatever his name was - out of office since I hated him more then Fudge, as strange as that is. You'll have to read to find out who the Minister is, lol.  
><strong>****

******Please, R&R. I'd like to try and get to 120 reviews. I'll update in a day or two, it all depends, no latter then Saturday night or Sunday morning, maybe sooner. it all depends.  
><strong>****

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><p><strong>Rumor Has It.<strong>

**Chapter 12: Little Snakey Nailed To The Door. **

The rest of the week went by faster then she thought after the day in the Chamber. It had taken her what felt like hours to come out of her shock at finding a dead Wormtail – sent to her by Nagini of all things. The letter itself had been amusing and sort of odd, it almost sounded like Nagini was trying to pimp Tom out to her. Almost anyways. It was ultimately Salazar who pulled her out of her daze and once she could think she was able to force the dead rat back into his human form.

It was rather gruesome, Nagini had practically torn the rats throat out and while she was happy the man was dead, she couldn't help but believe the man deserved a bit more before his death. Her only regret was that Remus nor Sirius were able to be there as she had Kreacher send the man to the Ministry – giving him explicit intrusions to crucify the rat to the main entrance. She would have no idea until two days latter that Peter was not the only body found.

"Meredith, have you read this?" Ginny gasped out as held her free hand to her mouth, her throat flexing as if to stop from throwing up. Ron looked over from his food, his eyes widening as he saw the front page of the Daily Prophet. Hermione was staring intently at her own copy, her mouth gaping open slightly at the headlines.

Meredith looked around confused, finally noticing the many people were whispering and some were even running out of the hall with their hands covering their mouths. Some Slytherins were actually snickering, and she took the paper from Hermione who didn't move to stop her.

**Delores Jane Umbridge Found Murdered! **

**Peter Pericles Pettigrew Crucified!**

**Late Wednesday afternoon – September 3rd 1996 – Ministry officials returned to work from a late lunch after a long day of work and found the mutilated flesh of an unidentified person. The Ministry was quick to close off the entrance and process the scene of the crime, or what was supposedly the scene. It was only latter that Auror's found that whoever had done this had not committed the crime on Ministry grounds. **

**The body was gruesome to say the least, and after hours the unlucky victim was identified as Delores Jane Umbridge the undersecretary to Minister Shacklebolt – elected after Rufus Scrimgeour was voted out of office after only three months for unlawful arrests and ignoring the rights of Muggle-Borns. Madam Umbridge was the victim of what appeared to be a Cruciatus and Imperious curse and her removed tongue and vocal box/cords were found not far from the gruesome sight. It is also known that her eyes were clawed out, supposedly by her own hand. **

**At this point in time it is strongly assumed to be the work of the Dark Lord, and as more proof to this fact the Dark Mark was found upon Delores Umbridge's right arm. It is unknown weather this was a branding of force or if the woman has always had it and simply hidden it from sight. It would possibly explain the hideous pink cardigans and sweaters she has been seen wearing in the past. The investigation into her death is not expected to last long, fault falling upon Death Eaters or the ****Dark Lord himself, but to be sure, the Auror's will be questioning those who have last seen Delores Umbridge before her death and surviving family. **

**Delores Jane Umbridge, age 44, born on November 23****rd****, 1953 was the youngest of two children. Her parents, Dolores Janet Umbridge – for whom she was named after – was a Pureblooded witch from the Parkinson line and married Hubert Umbridge who was eleven years her senior and widowed from a previous marriage with a young son, Hector Umbridge. **

**Upon going to Hogwarts Delores was sorted into Hufflepuff and was a Prefect in her day. She had striven to be the best in the Ministry though she was not well liked by anyone except for her old school mate, Cornelius Oswald Fudge who has recently went down in history as the worst Minster Britain has ever seen. She is preceded in death by her parents, Dolores and Hubert Umbridge, and her Half-brother and latter Fiance, Hector Umbridge who was killed when he was 25 by Death Eaters in the first war. **

**She is survived in death by a distant aunt of her Mother's, Elvira Parkinson, though unfortunately said Aunt is not available for questions on her late niece being as she is a member of the Muggle world having been disowned latter in life for being a squib. **

**Article by Rita Skeeter**

**Turn to page B-15 to read more on the Umbridge Investigation. **

Meredith had to force her face to remain passive but inside she was giggling insanely. Umbridge was really dead! Not just her either, but Peter too and soon her relatives would join the list. She felt giddy and alive, she could kiss Tom for this! She blushed a moment latter as she realized what she had admitted, but the thought of kissing the man didn't repulse her, actually, it did the exact opposite.

Turning back to the article she realized below it was another one and she smirked slightly, so this was what the other headline meant.

**Tragedy has been seen in the war against the Dark Lord, but recently deaths have been low, but in the last two days it has rocketed back up with the body of Delores Umbridge having bee found on September 3****rd**** at the Ministry entrance. It was like any other day for Ministry Officials, but when they arrived they were greeted by the repulsing sight of a man spread eagle like and seemingly crucified to the walls of the ministry entrance. **

**Auror's and the Minister were called in yet again on this morning – September 4****th****, 1996 – and after only an hour of work they were able to get the man down from the wall and identify him as Peter Pericles Pettigrew, a seemingly innocent man who was thought dead fifteen years ago, killed by Sirius Black – who died last year in the Ministry of Magic. At first it was assumed Mr. Pettigrew, the last remaining heir to the Pettigrew line, had been held captive and had finally run out of uses and was killed as a result. **

**It was then the Dark Mark was spotted on his left forearm. Proof that Peter Pettigrew was not the man we all believed. But what does this mean for us? Well to make it simple, this means Sirius Black could very well have been innocent! An Innocent man forced into Azkaban for thirteen years seems ****like our worst nightmare but it gets worst. With the help of Minister Shacklebolt it was uncovered that Sirius Orion Black, the once Head of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, was never given a trial. **

**Never given a trail the young man was thrown into Azkaban and thought to be the worst kind of criminal, willing to betray friends and his own Goddaughter to the Dark Lord for over a decade. Worst of all in my mind was that his innocence was found out too late and Sirius Black was never allowed to breathe a sigh of relief. His death may forever hang over this nations head as one of it's worst mistakes. **

**Peter Pericles Pettigrew, age 37, born on August 1****st****, 1960 to Petra and Gabriel Pettigrew and an only child of a lower middle class Pureblooded family. He was never very brave to hear many of his former acquaintance and school mates. He was well known though as one of three best friends the late James Pegasus Potter, father of the Girl-Who-Lived, Meredith Lily Potter and the only remaining heir to the Potter family. Peter is preceded in death by his father, Gabriel Pericles Pettigrew and and a Uncle, Preston Pettigrew. He is succeeded in death by his mother, Petra Pettigrew who refuses to remark on her late son and the fact he is not the hero we once thought. **

**While most will not mourn for this man we must remember the lives he ruined in the form of his three friends; Sirius Orion Black (1959-1996), James Pegasus Potter (1960 – 1981), and Remus John Lupin who is currently still alive. We must also add the late Lily Camellia Potter nee Evans to this list along with the only surviving Potter, Meredith Lily Potter. **

**Article by Penelope Clearwater. **

**See page C-2 For more information on the Pettigrew scandal. **

"Well, that's interesting," Meredith said as she sat the paper down. Her friends stared at her and she sighed.

"Look, I'm not going to pretend to be broken up over the toad being offed, it said she was Death Eater anyways. She probably ticked Voldemort off one too many times. As for Wormtail, why should I be upset over him, he got what he deserved." Her friends gave her pitying looks and she stood.

"Look, we have class soon, I'm gonna head over now. See you latter," she said coolly and stormed out of the hall, not caring about the eyes that followed her.

To say Meredith was happy about the turn of events was an understatement, she almost felt like doing a happy dance but felt it would look strange to everyone else so she just played it off as if she was not bothered by the news. She wasn't really, not even a little, but she had to wonder what people would think if they found out her part in both deaths?

She had after all asked Tom to kill Umbridge and while she had not asked for Peter's life, Nagini had given it to her and she had ordered him crucified for all to see. She only wished she could have been there to see the two die, call her vindictive but then she was a black as well as a Potter so go figure.

Classes were rather droll, they continued everyday of the week – except Saturday and Sunday of course – and while she had a new lease on studying she was beginning to fell overworked and barely had any time to work on her transformation into her animagus form. She could do a partial, but mostly it just made her look like some weird cat demon or cat girl. She hoped to get it down by October, but she didn't get her hopes up because if the work load was anything to go by – between Prefects duties, Quidditch, homework, and her lessons with Dumbledore – she wouldn't have much time to devote to much else.

Saturday, the day she would have her first lesson with the old man, saw her in the common room for once sitting with Hermione and Ron working on homework, Potions and DADA being all Meredith had left. After her copy of Advanced Potion-Making had arrived she had spent most of the night after getting rid of Peter's body, reading the book she'd found Nagini's letter in, and copying over the most important scribal into her own book after asking Salazar's opinion and researching her own – adding things she found which was wrong with the Half-Blood Princes' original work because despite the Prince being adept at Potions he did have mistakes.

After which she had sat down with Hermione and Ron and shown them the Half-Blood Princes book – before she destroyed it anyways – and her own explaining to them how she had gotten so good in Potions. At first Hermione had turned red, angry at Meredith for 'cheating' in class. Meredith had known Hermione would act like this if only because she was getting help from some mystery past book owner. Meredith had to keep her cool, and thanked her Occlumency training for her control to not cast a very painful and not completely legal spell at her bushy haired friend.

"Mione, it's not really cheating and you know it but your letting your pride get in the way!" Meredith had exclaimed, her face fighting between cold anger and turning into a nice impression of a tomato.

"The Prince, who ever he is obviously lost the book or just didn't think anyone would find it but he is right. I've spent a lot of time looking up his scribbles and researching. Nine times out of ten he's right and I've even found things in potions he didn't scribble on that can be improved. Books are not always right!"

Hermione looked taken aback before she pushed her noise into the air and huffed. "Maybe so but it's not your work so it's cheating!"

"It's helpful Hermione, the Prince isn't holding a wand to my head and whispering answers in my ear1 There is more to making Potions then following direction and I have worked my butt off making sure he was right so in a way it is my work as well." Meredith stood up sharply, taking both her books with her.

"If it makes you feel any better the Half-Blood Princes' book is about to have an unfortunate accident." Then she stormed off. That had been on Thursday afternoon, and she had not talked to Hermione again until Friday afternoon at dinner when her friend had cornered her and apologized for being a know-it-all bitch. Meredith had almost burst into laughter and blacked out - from lack of breath since she was holding it as a means to keep from laughing - at the same time upon hearing Hermione curse, and about herself at that.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you as well," Meredith said. "I know your used to being the best in the year, even in muggle school and I know you pride yourself on your intelligence maybe even use it as a security blanket. But despite that you need to loosen up Mione, I'm your friend and I know I wasn't the most studious and smart the last few years but Sirius' death showed me that I have to be ready for anything. I guess you could say this summer has been a wake up call."

"I understand, I'll try to be more open. I'd love to blame stress but you're more stressed out then me and your not biting our heads off all the time. You're like a sister to me, no matter what you do I'll always love you," Hermione said smiling and leaned in for a hug.

Meredith returned the hug, tears trying to fill her eyes. Hermione was a sister to her also, what she'd always wanted a sister to be like, Hermione was her big sister, and Ginny her little sister. Ron was like the brother she never got and when he was annoying, didn't want.

_'But would they still love me if they knew of Tom?'_ she thought as the two girl pulled away and walked back into the Great Hall.

Meredith was shaken from her thoughts by Hermione's voice. She looked over to Hermione to see her friend looking at her with worry. Ron was eating something he'd either pilfered from the kitchens or had been left over from the train's trolly. Sometimes she wondered where Ron put all that food, it seemed every time she saw him he was eating something.

"Mer, it's almost eight," Hermione said. "Isn't that the time Dumbledore gave you?"

Meredith sighed as she closed her Potions book. "Yeah. Can you put my stuff back in the dorm for me? I won't have time to do anything but leave." Hermione nodded.

"Good luck," Ron said sending her a small grin. Meredith waved as she left the common room and headed for Dumbledore's office. She only wished she had been able to talk to Tom before today, but she had not had a dreamscape – as she'd been calling them – since before Pettigrew and Umbridge had been found.

Meredith dashed through deserted corridors, though she had to step hastily behind a statue when Professor Trelawney appeared around a corner, muttering to herself as she shuffled a pack of dirty-looking playing cards, reading them as she walked.

"Two of spades: conflict," she murmured, as she passed the place where Meredith crouched, hidden. "Seven of spades: an ill omen. Ten of spades: violence. Knave of spades: a dark young man, possibly troubled, one who dislikes the questioner —"

_'Hmm, sounds like Draco dearest.'_ Meredith thought to herself as she narrowed her eyes at the old bat. Despite the fact the fraud of a seer was wasn't all that attractive to those not blind Meredith had to admit, she had aged rather gracefully in her many years.

Trelawney stopped dead, right on the other side of Meredith's statue and seemed to be peering at the cards as if they should be telling her a novella of words.

"Well, that can't be right," she said, annoyed, and Meredith heard her reshuffling vigorously as she pulled out a wand Meredith could truthfully say she'd never seen the woman handle – around 7 inches, Birch – and waved it. A table came zooming past Meredith, nearly taking an ear off, and landed in front of the Professor who calmly summoned a chair and sat down in the middle of the corridor. Meredith leaned back against the wall and sighed, she was going to be late if this kept up.

"Stupid cards, Tarot is much more telling," she heard Trelawney say as she pulled out a larger set of cards she knew to be rather old and ornate Tarot cards. She rolled her eyes and peaked around to watch as the woman cut the deck and then shuffled. She had to admit the woman knew how to shuffle a deck, she probably could have cleaned up at Poker if wizards and witches actually knew what the game was.

"Now," Trelawney began, turning over the card on the far left. "How odd, the Tower; Disruption. Conflict. Change. Sudden violent loss. Overthrow of an existing way of life." Meredith paused, well, maybe the fraud wasn't as cracked as they thought – though reading a tarot card was a far cry from a prophetess.

"The present card; ooh, Death!" The startled gasp from the Professor had Meredith jumping a feet in the air and she wondered if the crazy woman would predict yet another death. To her surprise the woman simply sighed. "The beginning of a new life_. _As a result of underlying circumstances transformation and change. How bland."

Meredith raised and eyebrow and wondered if maybe Divination wasn't such a waste of time done properly? Not that she was interested but those cards sounded eerily like her life presently and in the past.

"Now, the future card. Well, that's something, The Lovers; Passion, Harmony and union, choices to be made using intuition and not intellect. Difficult decisions to be made not necessarily about love. Useless tonight, maybe some good brandy or sherry will help?" With those final words Professor Trelawney left, leaving nothing but the table, chair, and a smell of cooking sherry behind.

Meredith waited quietly until she was gone, a blush on her cheeks. Even if it was a coincidence, Meredith vowed never to have her future read with Tarot cards or be within a few feet of someone else reading them as she barreled to the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office.

"Acid Pops," said Meredith, and the gargoyle leapt aside; the wall behind it slid apart, and a moving spiral stone staircase was revealed, onto which Meredith stepped, so that she was carried in smooth circles up to the door with the brass knocker that led to Dumbledore's Office.

Meredith knocked.

"Come in," said Dumbledore s voice.

"Good evening, sir," said Meredith, walking into the headmaster's office.

"Ah, good evening, Meredith. Sit down," said Dumbledore, smiling. "I hope you've had an enjoyable first week back at school?"

"Yes, thanks, sir," Meredith said, keeping her hidden feelings away from the forefront of her mind and especially her face – she didn't need the emotions portrayed with facial expressions either. Occlumency was a godsend, and while she was nowhere near a master, she was good for someone so new to the art thanks to Tom.

"You must have been busy, a detention under your belt already!"

"In my defense, Snape started it," Meredith said and while he did look at her strangely, almost disappointed, Dumbledore did not look too stern about the matter.

She didn't know why he should, Snape had been rude and in the muggle world the blatant verbal abuse and his words of slur against a long dead man – her father – would have had him sacked before he could have said 'dunderhead' – though she didn't think that was the detention he was referring to. Another one of Dumbledore's misgivings, he saw to much and did to little. He wanted to save everyone, but he needed to realize not everyone could reform and second chances were not always wanted or used wisely.

"I have arranged with Professor Snape that you will do your detention next Saturday instead."

"Right," said Meredith, but she was only half listening. She had more pressing, important matters on her mind then Snape or his useless detentions. First was her wish to be anywhere else but here, more importantly she wished to be asleep, and with Tom. Maybe that was stupid, maybe it was simply withdrawal – she'd gone almost a full month without the dreamscape during the summer hols and here it was barely three days and she was going stark raving mad.

Meredith shook her head slightly and glanced around surreptitiously for some indication of what Dumbledore was planning this evening – she hoped it had nothing to do with Occlumency as she didn't want to risk him getting passed her mediocre shields and finding our about her midnight meetings or the Chamber. Merlin that would be a disaster!

She noticed the circular office looked just as it always did; the delicate silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, puffing smoke and whirring; portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses dozed in their frames, and Dumbledore's magnificent phoenix, Fawkes, stood on his perch behind the door, watching Meredith with bright interest, but also wonder as if seeing her for the first time. Over all the space looked as cluttered as always, as if Dumbledore had excepted a guest over for tea apposed to training. Training she wouldn't really need unless someone, light or dark, attacked her.

"So, Meredith," said Dumbledore, in a businesslike voice. "You have been wondering, I am sure, what I have planned for you during these — for want of a better word — lessons?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I have decided that it is time, now that you know what prompted Lord Voldemort to try and kill you fifteen years ago, for you to be given certain information." There was a pause.

"You already told me the prophecy, what more is there?" Meredith asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You told me you'd tell me everything sir." The accusation was clear in her bitter steely tone. Dumbledore sighed and held up a hand, ostensibly in surrender.

"So I did," Dumbledore said placidly. "I told you everything I know. From this point forth, we shall be leaving the firm foundation of fact and journeying together through the murky marshes of memory into thickets of wildest guesswork. From here on in, Meredith, I may be as woefully wrong as Humphrey Belcher, who believed the time was ripe for a cheese cauldron."

Meredith blinked, a cheese cauldron? She didn't know what foods had to do with this but she would let the old senile man have his way. For now, glancing at his hand she wondered if she should venture to question him over it yet?

"But you think you're right?" said Meredith, her voice almost mocking in tone and the headmaster raised an white eyebrow.

He stared at her, trying to see just where she was coming from these days. Albus had noticed a change in her, she was more studious – he'd had a mixed reaction to her outstanding on her Ancient Rune OWL – and she was also a bit more anti-social. She walked with an air of confidence she'd once lacked – though she'd always held confidence but never to this extent – and she seemed genuinely happy about something. Most disturbing was her lack of pity, grief or really any emotion at all over the tragedies that were Delores Umbridge and Peter Pettigrew.

"Naturally I do, but as I have already proven to you, I make mistakes like the next man. In fact, being — forgive me — rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger."

"Sir," said Meredith tentatively, she was no more raring to listen to the man boast about himself in a most clever way to make him seem modest at the same time, then she was ready to admit her undying love to the Dementor's of Azkaban. "does what you're going to tell me have anything to do with the prophecy? Will it help me… survive?"

Stupid question, she had a way to survive alright, stay the hell out of Tom's way! It may seem rather callus but she rather liked being neutral in this whole thing – though everyday she found another reason to scorn the light, mostly their unconcealed ignorance.

"It has a great deal to do with the prophecy," said Dumbledore casually. "and I certainly hope that it will help you to survive."

Meredith watched the old man as he got to his feet and walked around his desk, and past Meredith. Her mind going over what he'd just said, hope it will help you survive. Why did that sound more like a mourning gesture then anything else? Meredith finally turned in her seat, watching as Dumbledore bent over the cabinet beside the door. When he straightened up he was holding a stone basin, shallow as it was with etchings in the side, odd markings around it rim. It was a Pensieve but she notice instantly it was not the same one from fourth year.

Walking back over to the desk he placed the Pensieve on the desk in front of Meredith.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking," she began, looking from the stone basin to Dumbledore who blinked at the all to familiar look in mix-matched eyes. He'd only met one person who could make their eyes unreadable like that and that had been Tom. Sometimes the similarities between the two scared him, but then they were far and few in between. Except for this year, this year something had changed for Meredith. He just wished he knew what it was. "But what happened to your old Pensieve?"

"Ah, well I had to replace it before the start of term," Dumbledore said, thinking back on the incident which had ended in his Pensieve exploding and the lost of the Prophecy memory. For some reason he was unsure of the memory had not returned to him with the others. Almost like it had been obliterated with the Pensieve itself. "A small accident caused it to...break I'm afraid."

Meredith stared at him, it seemed they were still on the telling of half truths this year. Looking back to the Pensieve she stared at it. She had never been fond of them, not even before Snape's last year.

"You look worried Meredith." Dumbledore smiled reassuringly. "This time, you enter the Pensieve with me and even more unusually, with permission." Meredith sighed and looked back at the Headmaster.

"Where are we going, sir?"

"For a trip down Bob Ogden's memory lane," said Dumbledore, pulling from his pocket a crystal bottle containing a swirling silvery-white substance.

"So it's not your memory?" Meredith asked, and Dumbledore hummed quietly. Seeing this was all the answer she was going to get she moved on. "Who was Bob Ogden?"

"He was employed by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," said Dumbledore. "He died some time ago, but not before I had tracked him down and persuaded him to confide these recollections to me. We are about to accompany him on a visit he made in the course of his duties. If you will stand, Meredith…"

But Dumbledore was having difficulty pulling out the stopper of the crystal bottle: His injured hand seemed stiff and painful.

"Sir, should I..." she trailed off, Dumbledore raised his healthy hand to stop her speech.

"No matter, my dear girl, no matter —" Dumbledore pointed his wand at the bottle and the cork flew out.

"Sir — how did you injure your hand?" Meredith asked wanting to get to the point, looking at the blackened fingers with a mixture of revulsion and pity. No one deserved that, well maybe Bellatrix.

"Now is not the moment for that story, Meredith. Not yet. We have an appointment with Bob Ogden."

Dumbledore tipped the silvery contents of the bottle into the Pensieve, where they swirled and shimmered, neither liquid nor gas.

"After you," said Dumbledore, gesturing toward the bowl.

Meredith bent forward, took a deep breath, and plunged her face into the silvery substance. She felt her feet leave the office floor; she was falling, falling through whirling darkness and then, quite suddenly, she was blinking in dazzling sunlight. Before her eyes had adjusted, Dumbledore landed beside her. Her stomach rebelled and she had to fight to keep her dinner down. It was almost as bad as a Portkey, but at least she could actually puke in a memory.

They were standing in a country lane bordered by high, tangled hedgerows, beneath a summer sky as bright and blue as a forget-me-not. Some ten feet in front of them stood a short, plump man wearing enormously thick glasses that reduced his eyes to mole-like specks. He was reading a wooden signpost that was sticking out of the brambles on the left-hand side of the road.

Meredith knew this must be Ogden; he was the only person in sight, and he was also wearing the strange assortment of clothes so often chosen by inexperienced wizards trying to look like Muggles: in this case, a frock coat and spats over a striped one-piece bathing costume. Before Meredith had time to do more than register his bizarre appearance and wrinkle her nose in disgust, however, Ogden had set off at a brisk walk down the lane.

"Where are we?" Meredith asked, though inside she thought it might look familiar.

Dumbledore did not answer as he led her along, and they followed the odd looking wizard who resembled a mole. As they passed the wooden sign, Meredith looked up at its two arms. The one pointing back the way they had come read: Great Hangleton, 5 miles. The arm pointing after Ogden said Little Hangleton, 1 mile.

"Little Hangleton," she muttered, and her eyes widened. She knew where this was but she could hardly believe it! This was where Tom's mother had grown up and she couldn't believe it to be a coincidence. It seemed Dumbledore either hadn't heard her or didn't care to comment as they continued silently.

They walked a short way with nothing to see but the hedgerows, the wide blue sky overhead and the swishing, frock-coated figure ahead. Then the lane curved to the left and fell away, sloping steeply down a hillside, so that they had a sudden, unexpected view of a whole valley laid out in front of them. Meredith could see a village, undoubtedly Little Hangleton, nestled between two steep hills, its church and graveyard clearly visible. Across the valley, set on the opposite hillside, was a handsome manor house surrounded by a wide expanse of velvety green lawn.

It was newer, but she could instantly recognize the house on the hill, Riddle Manor. That meant the graveyard – Meredith shivered slightly. She still had the occasional nightmare about fourth year, but they were very few now that she was seeing Tom in the Dreamscape most nights. The contrast between the Voldemort that he been reborn as and tried to kill her yet again and the one she knew now were so vastly different she had to wonder what had happened? After all their time together Tom still had not truly told her how he was so sane again.

Ogden had broken into a reluctant trot due to the steep downward slope. Dumbledore lengthened his stride, and Meredith hurried to keep up, almost proving that yes, you could trip in a Pensieve. She had to wonder why they had to approach it from such a distance as they got closer, just as she'd wondered the night they'd went to Slughorn's place.

It wasn't like anyone could see them or hurt them, but she soon discovered that she was mistaken in thinking that they were going to the village but were instead, stopping right outside the village, at the very edge. The lane curved to the right and when they rounded the corner, it was to see the very edge of Ogden's frock coat vanishing through a gap in the hedge.

Dumbledore and Meredith followed him onto a narrow dirt track bordered by higher and wilder hedgerows than those they had left behind. The path was crooked, rocky, and potholed, sloping down-hill like the last one, and it seemed to be heading for a patch of dark trees a little below them. Sure enough, the track soon opened up at the copse, and Dumbledore and Meredith came to a halt behind Ogden, who had stopped and drawn his wand. She hoped this was all the walking they'd need to do, she could understand why Ogden had started the memory way back there but couldn't Dumbledore have pressed fast-forward or something?

Despite the cloudless sky, the old trees ahead cast deep, dark, cool shadows, and it was a few seconds before Meredith's eyes discerned the building half-hidden amongst the tangle of trunks. It seemed to her a very strange location to choose for a home, or else an odd decision to leave the trees growing nearby, blocking all light and the view of the valley below. A shame, it was a beautiful view. Actually, the place sort of reminded her of Grimmauld Place, though wasn't near as extravagant.

It was so run down she had to wonder whether it was inhabited; its walls were mossy and so many tiles had fallen off the roof that the rafters were visible in places, she wouldn't doubt if the ruff leaked when it rained. Nettles grew all around it, their tips reaching the windows, which were tiny and thick with grime.

It looked more like a dreary prison then a place to raise a family. For a minute she seriously doubted anyone could leave here, especially not Tom's mother! In the past she'd always assumed his mother – being a Pureblood – had lived a life similar to her own father, or even Malfoy. However this decision was blown out of reality when one of the windows was thrown open with a clatter, and a thin trickle of steam or smoke issued from it, as though somebody was cooking, and poorly at that.

Meredith watched as Ogden moved forward quietly and, it seemed to her, rather cautiously. As the dark shadows of the trees slid over him, he stopped again, staring at the front door, to which somebody had nailed a dead snake. She recoiled, looking from Dumbledore – who stared impassively – and then back at the smallish snake, obviously dead, on the door.

Whoever lived here had to be nuts! She thought, shaking her head and forcing bile down, she didn't wish to really find out if she could do the impossible and throw up in a memory of all things. Then there was a rustle and a crack, and a man in what appeared to be rags dropped from the nearest tree, landing on his feet right in front of Ogden, who leapt backward so fast he stood on the tails of his frock coat and stumbled.

"_You're not welcome."_

The man standing before them had thick hair so matted with dirt it could have been any color – though she suspected it was a darker shade of blond or brown. Several of his teeth were missing. His eyes were small and dark, almost black it seemed, and stared in opposite directions. Probably the effect of to much inbreeding for to long with not enough power and magic to counteract deformity like Tom had explained to her the last time they'd met. Over all this man might have looked comical, but he did not; the effect was frightening, and Meredith could not blame Ogden for backing away several more paces before he spoke.

"Er — good morning. I'm from the Ministry of Magic —"

"_You're not welcome." _Meredith stared, why was he repeating that again? It was possible he was a bit slow, but she didn't think anyone could be that slow and from Ogden's face he couldn't understand a word.

"Er — I'm sorry — I don't understand you," said Ogden nervously.

Meredith thought Ogden was being extremely dim on purpose for a moment but the look on his face said otherwise; the stranger though was making himself very clear in Meredith's opinion, particularly as he was brandishing a wand in one hand and a short and rather bloody knife in the other.

_'Probably from the snake...but does that mean...'_ her thoughts trailed off as she looked from the man to the house. It couldn't be.

"You understand him, I'm sure, Meredith?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Yes, of course," said Meredith, nonplussed. "Why can't Ogden —?" But as her eyes found the dead snake on the door again, she could have hit herself, of course! He wasn't speaking English!

"He's speaking Parseltongue!" she exclaimed and Dumbledore smiled, nodding.

"Yes, I dear say he is." Meredith shot him a look.

"But then how do you know what he is saying?" Dumbledore sighed.

"I do not, but I have tried to study the language since many years before your birth Merry." He grinned a little. "I do believe I have been able to translate a bit, and this memory does help as it is Parseltongue has a distinct sound for each word uttered. I believe he's saying 'Welcome' or something similar." Meredith hid a snort.

"Similar perhaps," she said. "He's saying "You're not Welcome" - I suppose that is close."

Why she decided to be helpful she wasn't sure but unless he actually asked she would not go out of her way to translate for the headmaster. She wasn't sure how she felt about this, it seemed sort of invasive and detrimental to training. Meredith turned her attention back to the memory as the man in rags advanced on Ogden, knife in one hand, wand in the other.

"Now, look —" Ogden began, but too late: There was a bang, and Ogden was on the ground, clutching his nose, while a nasty yellowish goo squirted from between his fingers.

"Morfin!" said a loud voice.

An elderly man had come hurrying out of the cottage, banging the door behind him so that the dead snake swung pathetically. This man was shorter than the first, and oddly proportioned; his shoulders were very broad and his arms overlong, which, with his bright brown eyes, short scrubby hair, and wrinkled face, gave him the look of a powerful, aged monkey.

It reminded her of the statue in the Chamber of Secrets, she smirked as she remembered the outrage look on Salazar's face when she'd asked if the statue was of him.

"How crude! That is by no means me silly girl, but my great-grandfather, Sarlic Slytherin!" - he had raged for minutes after word spitting words in old English and Anglo-Saxon she did not know. Meredith shook the memory as she watched the old monkey-man came to a halt beside the man with the knife, who was now cackling with laughter at the sight of Ogden on the ground.

"Ministry, is it?" said the older man, looking down at Ogden like he was dirt beneath his feet, but not even worthy of being there. She'd seen the look before, on her relatives when looking at her and on Salazar when speaking of Gryffindor – it seemed while history had become twisted over the years the feud between Gryffindor and Slytherin was very much real but that was a story he would not divulge to her at this time – his own words mind you.

"Correct!" said Ogden angrily, dabbing his face. "And you, I take it, are Mr. Gaunt?"

"S'right," said Gaunt. "Got you in the face, did he?"

"Yes, he most certainly did!" snapped Ogden, though he did not have the amused and proud tone to his voice that Gaunt did. Meredith was caught staring in shock, Mr. Gaunt...that was the name of Tom's mother wasn't it? But did that mean this, this monkey like man and apish younger man were his relatives? Didn't that make the older one Marvolo for whom Tom was half-named for?

"Should've made your presence known, shouldn't you?" said Gaunt aggressively. "This is private property. Can't just walk in here and not expect my son to defend himself."

"Defend himself against what, man?" said Ogden, clambering back to his feet.

"Busybodies. Intruders. Muggles and filth." Ogden pointed his wand at his own nose, which was still issuing large amounts of what looked like yellow pus, and the flow stopped at once. Mr. Gaunt spoke out of the corner of his mouth to Morfin.

"_Get in the house. Don't argue."_

This time, she was ready for it and had no issue recognizing Parseltongue; oddly enough while she could understand what was being said, she distinguished the weird hissing noise that was all Ogden could hear.

Morfin seemed to be on the point of disagreeing, but when his father cast him a threatening look he changed his mind, lumbering away to the cottage with an odd rolling gait and slamming the front door behind him, so that the snake swung sadly again.

"It's your son I'm here to see, Mr. Gaunt," said Ogden, as he mopped the last of the pus from the front of his coat. "That was Morfin, wasn't it?"

"Ah, that was Morfin," said the old man indifferently. "Are you pure-blood?" he asked, suddenly aggressive.

"That's neither here nor there," said Ogden coldly, and while she could respect him for his defiance she knew all to well any descendent of Salazar's would not like being ignored when asked a question. Not to mention she'd never heard the name Ogden before and so she doubted he was a Pureblood because most would not bat an eyelash at answering with a prominent yes, or even going into further detail of why they were a Pureblood.

Apparently Gaunt felt rather differently about his answer, and like she suspected he did not seem happy at all. He squinted into Ogden's face and muttered, in what was clearly supposed to be an offensive tone, "Now I come to think about it, I've seen noses like yours down in the village."

Meredith rolled her eyes, oh yes he'd have seen noses similar down there, after all those Muggles were obviously not so far gone they would sleep with their mothers, fathers and siblings just to preserve the bloodline. There may not be many Purebloods left nowadays in Britain, but from books she knew it was Grindelwald's reign that had slaughtered a lot of those pure families and made it even harder to find a fresh source of Pureblood to marry into by the time her parents were born, if not before.

In the 1920's there were a lot more Pureblooded families then there were now – The Gamps were many back then were as they were few today, the Glass family, the Cranes, Cromwells and Popes to name just a few.

"I don't doubt it, if your son's been let loose on them," said Ogden. "Perhaps we could continue this discussion inside?"

"Inside?"

"Yes, Mr. Gaunt. I've already told you. I'm here about Morfin. We sent an owl —"

"I've no use for owls," said Gaunt. "I don't open letters."

"Then you can hardly complain that you get no warning of visitors," said Ogden tartly. "I am here following a serious breach of Wizarding law, which occurred here in the early hours of this morning —"

"All right, all right, all right!" bellowed Gaunt. "Come in the bleeding house, then, and much good it'll do you!"

The house seemed to contain three tiny rooms. Two doors led off the main room, which served as kitchen and living room combined. Morfin was sitting in a filthy armchair beside the smoking fire, twisting a live adder between his thick fingers and crooning softly at it in Parseltongue:

_Hissy, hissy, little snakey,_

_Slither on the floor_

_You be good to Morfin_

_Or he'll nail you to the door._

Meredith huffed, her mouth gaping at Morfin – as she now knew his name to be. She didn't even think Tom had been this crazy and he'd been pretty far gone each time she'd met him before this summer, but even then he'd sounded relatively sane. It was terrifying, fascinating and disturbing all at once what happened once the inbreeding got to a point of insanity within a Pureblooded family.

The Black's had been pretty bad but even they welcome fresh blood in – not to mention their insanity had nothing to do with inbreeding, it was all the fault of a curse set upon them by a long dead Pureblooded family when a son of the Black's killed the last heir to a very prestigious line dating back to Merlin himself.

Sirius had explained it, and it still lived on in those with sufficient Black blood. Looking back on it he'd probably told her to let her be aware so she'd be more prepared to keep her sanity safe as he and Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks had all done. Bellatrix had given when she was much younger, to hear Sirius tell it.

There was a scuffling noise in the corner beside the open window, and Meredith realized as she came back to the memory that there was somebody else in the room, a girl whose ragged gray dress was the exact color of the dirty stone wall behind her. She was standing beside a steaming pot on a grimy black stove, and was fiddling around with the shelf of squalid-looking pots and pans above it.

Her hair was lank and dull – probably a dirty blonde or light brown without the grime, maybe a soft auburn color - like it hadn't been washed in months, maybe years. She had a plain, pale, rather heavy face, aged beyond her years in ways. Her eyes, like her brother's, stared in opposite directions but they were not brown or black like her father or brothers – they were dark and bright but they were charcoal green, the same green Salazar's portrait portrayed, and the ones Tom had been born with.

She looked a little cleaner than the two men despite this, but Meredith thought she had never seen a more defeated-looking person in her life, not even when she herself had resigned herself to being unwanted and unloved as a child by her relatives.

Despite all this she could see that the girl, almost a woman in age it appeared, could have been pretty cleaned up. She may not have been beautiful or even as pretty as Meredith herself had been said to be, but she would have been pretty enough that men would have noticed her.

"M'daughter, Merope," said Gaunt grudgingly, as Ogden looked inquiringly toward her.

"Good morning," said Ogden.

She did not answer, but with a frightened glance at her father turned her back on the room and continued shifting the pots on the shelf behind her.

"Well, Mr. Gaunt," said Ogden, "to get straight to the point, we have reason to believe that your son, Morfin, performed magic in front of a Muggle late last night."

There was a deafening clang. Merope had dropped one of the pots.

"Pick it up!" Gaunt bellowed at her. "That's it, grub on the floor like some filthy Muggle, what's your wand for, you useless sack of muck?"

Meredith couldn't believe it, this man treated his daughter as bad as the Dursley's treated her. Her wand hand twitched, she wondered if this man could do powerful magic at all himself and had this not been a memory she'd love to show him what she could do with a wand. He was talking to her as if she was some muggle or squib stain on their family line and she knew Merope was no squib, squibs could not have magical children, especially not with a muggle!

Not to say their line could not produce a magical child but it couldn't happen in the first generation, at least it hadn't before and she didn't suspect it ever would. This was one reason why Pureblooded family used to kill or disown – and they still did disown – the squibs born into their family.

"How can he talk to her like that!" she raged. "She's his daughter for Merlin's sake!"

Dumbledore sighed sadly. "Alas, we have to wonder where Voldemort got his hatred for those without magic and Muggle-Borns from." Clearly he thought it was inherited.

Meredith gritted her teeth, she didn't like that answer either! It was no wonder Tom didn't like Muggles and it had nothing to do with his grandfather, after all she had grown up with the worst sort of Muggles herself and she wasn't going to sing their praises just because she didn't go around murdering every Muggle she came across.

Not to mention Tom didn't actually kill Muggles, at least not recently. He did have Death Eaters for more then making his ego bigger after all. She wondered if she could given Dumbledore a heart attack if she'd said that all out loud? It was tempting but she decided not too, less she get the opposite result.

"Mr. Gaunt, please!" said Ogden in a shocked voice, as Merope, who had already picked up the pot, flushed blotchy scarlet, lost her grip on the pot again, drew her wand shakily from her pocket, pointed it at the pot, and muttered a hasty, inaudible spell that caused the pot to shoot across the floor away from her, hit the opposite wall, and crack in two.

Meredith huffed and crossed her arms over her chest in indignation, definitely not a squib. If she could do that simply because she was being belittled and afraid then had she been encouraged and treated like a person then she probably would have been quite powerful.

Morfin let out a mad cackle of laughter though, clearly not impressed and Gaunt screamed, "Mend it, you pointless lump, mend it!"

Merope stumbled across the room, but before she had time to raise her wand, Ogden had lifted his own and said firmly, "Reparo." The pot mended itself instantly.

She sighed, shaking her head. Gaunt clearly wouldn't like that, he seemed to have an authority complex as it was.

Sure enough Gaunt looked for a moment as though he was going to shout at Ogden, but seemed to think better of it: Instead, he jeered at his daughter, "Lucky the nice man from the Ministry's here, isn't it? Perhaps he'll take you off my hands, perhaps he doesn't mind dirty Squibs…"

Without looking at anybody or thanking Ogden, Merope picked up the pot and returned it, hands trembling, to its shelf. She then stood quite still, her back against the wall between the filthy window and the stove, as though she wished for nothing more than to sink into the stone and vanish.

"Squib my arse," Meredith muttered angrily, sending the young girl only slightly older then herself, a look of understanding and pity. If Dumbledore picked up on any of this he didn't speak on it.

"Mr. Gaunt," Ogden began again, "as I've said: the reason for my visit —"

"I heard you the first time!" snapped Gaunt. "And so what? Morfin gave a Muggle a bit of what was coming to him — what about it, then?"

"Morfin has broken Wizarding law," said Ogden sternly.

"'Morfin has broken Wizarding law.'" Gaunt imitated Ogden's voice, making it pompous and singsong. Morfin cackled again, obviously he understood English even if he couldn't speak it – or maybe he simply didn't wish too. "He taught a filthy Muggle a lesson, that's illegal now, is it?"

"Yes," said Ogden. "I'm afraid it is."

He pulled from an inside pocket a small scroll of parchment and unrolled it.

"What's that, then, his sentence?" said Gaunt, his voice rising angrily.

"It is a summons to the Ministry for a hearing —"

"Summons! Summons? Who do you think you are, summoning my son anywhere?"

"I'm Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad," said Ogden.

"And you think we're scum, do you?" screamed Gaunt, advancing on Ogden now, with a dirty yellow-nailed finger pointing at his chest. "Scum who'll come running when the Ministry tells 'em to? Do you know who you're talking to, you filthy little Mudblood, do you?"

"I was under the impression that I was speaking to Mr. Gaunt," said Ogden, looking wary, but standing his ground.

"That's right!" roared Gaunt. For a moment, Meredith thought Gaunt was making an obscene hand gesture, but then realized that he was showing Ogden the ugly, black-stoned ring he was wearing on his middle finger, waving it before Ogden's eyes. "See this? See this? Know what it is? Know where it came from? Centuries it's been in our family, that's how far back we go, and pure-blood all the way! Know how much I've been offered for this, with the Peverell coat of arms engraved on the stone?"

"I've really no idea," said Ogden, blinking as the ring sailed within an inch of his nose, "and it's quite beside the point, Mr. Gaunt. Your son has committed —"

With a howl of rage, Gaunt ran toward his daughter. For a split second, Meredith thought he was going to throttle her as his hand flew to her throat; something she knew didn't feel to good from experience with her uncle, and the next moment, he was dragging her toward Ogden by a gold chain around her neck.

"See this?" he bellowed at Ogden, shaking a heavy gold locket at him, while Merope spluttered and gasped for breath.

"I see it, I see it!" said Ogden hastily.

"Slytherins!" yelled Gaunt. "Salazar Slytherin's! We're his last living descendants, what do you say to that, eh?"

"Mr. Gaunt, your daughter!" said Ogden in alarm, but Gaunt had already released Merope; she staggered away from him, back to her corner, massaging her neck and gulping for air.

"So!" said Gaunt triumphantly, as though he had just proved a complicated point beyond all possible dispute. "Don't you go talking to us as if we're dirt on your shoes! Generations of pure-bloods, wizards all — more than you can say, I don't doubt!"

And he spat on the floor at Ogdens feet. Morfin cackled again. Merope, huddled beside the window, her head bowed and her face hidden by her lank hair, said nothing.

"Mr. Gaunt," said Ogden doggedly, "I am afraid that neither your ancestors nor mine have anything to do with the matter in hand. I am here because of Morfin, Morfin and the Muggle he accosted late last night. Our information"— he glanced down at his scroll of parchment — "is that Morfin performed a jinx or hex on the said Muggle, causing him to erupt in highly painful hives."

Morfin giggled.

"_Be quiet, boy_," snarled Gaunt in Parseltongue, and Morfin fell silent again.

"And so what if he did, then?" Gaunt said defiantly to Ogden, "I expect you've wiped the Muggle's filthy face clean for him, and his memory to boot —"

"That's hardly the point, is it, Mr. Gaunt?" said Ogden. "This was an unprovoked attack on a defenseless —"

"Ar, I had you marked out as a Muggle-lover the moment I saw you," sneered Gaunt, and he spat on the floor again. Meredith felt that even if the man did like Muggles it was no reason to almost expose magic to the world of them. He seemed to dislike them but didn't he understand what could happen if they were exposed? Maybe back then not as much but times had evolved, Muggles were not as stupid as they seemed – well except her relatives maybe.

"This discussion is getting us nowhere," said Ogden firmly. "It is clear from your son's attitude that he feels no remorse for his actions." He glanced down at his scroll of parchment again. "Morfin will attend a hearing on the fourteenth of September to answer the charges of using magic in front of a Muggle and causing harm and distress to that same Mugg —"

Ogden broke off. The jingling, clopping sounds of horses and loud, laughing voices were drifting in through the open window. Apparently the winding lane to the village passed very close to the copse where the house stood. Gaunt froze, listening, his eyes wide. Morfin hissed and turned his face toward the sounds, his expression hungry. Merope raised her head. Her face, Meredith saw, was starkly white as if worried.

Without even glancing at Dumbledore she walked forward, wondering if this would even work as she went to look out the window. She had a suspicion though of who it could be. Dumbledore looked after her.

"Meredith, I don't believe it wise to str – " Meredith did not listen and she waved him off, she heard him sigh heavily but did not care; Instead she situated herself at the window, beside Merope who she realized was the same height as herself, but barely reaching the 5'4 and skinny as well, much skinnier then even Meredith who was undoubtedly rather skinny from years of malnourishment.

"My God, what an eyesore!" rang out a girl's voice, as clearly audible through the open window as if she had stood in the room beside them. "Couldn't your father have that hovel cleared away, Tom?"

It was hard to see them through the window but she was surprised to find she could see them passing by. The girl was the closest to the windows view, sitting on the back of a gray horse. She was very pretty, almost beautiful but from this distance her features were distorted. She had lovely corn colored hair, drown upon her head with pins and a elegant dress and a hat rested on her head. Her eyes appeared to be of a light color but from this distance it was hard to tell if they were gray or blue.

It was the man that shocked her.

"It's not ours," said the young man as his voice carried into the small shack of a house. "Everything on the other side of the valley belongs to us, but that cottage belongs to an old tramp called Gaunt, and his children. The son's quite mad, you should hear some of the stories they tell in the village —"

From a distance she would have thought she was seeing Tom, and while this man wasn't Tom it was obvious it was Tom Riddle Sr. He couldn't be older then twenty and looked so much like Tom with neat obsidian hair and pale skin that it was truly amazing. Even their voices were similar, one of the biggest differences was that Tom wasn't a bulky looking, he was thinner, lankier almost and had paler skin and green eyes. This man had wide amber colored eyes that seemed golden when the sun caught them right.

Knowing Merope could only be Tom's mother, there was no doubt about it any longer, she could see exactly what drew the woman too Tom Riddle Sr. It amazed her really, that she and Merope were both drawn to men who were forbidden to them; That they were so similar yet so different.

Tom Riddle Sr. was a muggle and consorting with a Muggle of all things would probably get the already neglected and abused girl killed. Tom was the Dark Lord and was supposed to be her arch-enemy and at one time she supposed he was but over time he'd become something else. She liked him, it couldn't be more then that...could it?

The girl laughed. The jingling, clopping noises were growing louder and louder. Morfin made to get out of his armchair.

"_Keep your seat_," said his father warningly, in Parseltongue, and Meredith turned away from the window, noticing in a quick succession Merope was twitching slightly, throwing glances out the window and back to her brother and father; that Ogden seemed to be getting impatient and confused while Dumbledore stared at the area Meredith now stood and back to Merope.

It was almost like he now realized how seeing this memory may effect her, like was seeing – because she knew he knew how the Dursley's had treated her, he'd even admitted sentencing her to ten dark years last year – how similar in upbringing the two women were. Even if they were almost opposites when it came to appearances – the fact they both had green eyes (or eye in Meredith's case) different shades or not the reason it was almost.

"Tom," said the girl's voice again, now so close they were clearly right beside the house, and it was obvious with the fact she could now tell the woman's eyes were not gray or blue at all but a pretty light hazel-blue color. "I might be wrong — but has somebody nailed a snake to that door?"

"Good lord, you're right!" said the man's voice. "That'll be the son, I told you he's not right in the head. Don't look at it, Cecilia, darling."

The jingling and clopping sounds were now growing faint again.

"'_Darling_,'" whispered Morfin in Parseltongue, looking at his sister and Meredith spun to look at the brother. "'_Darling, he called her. So he wouldn't have you anyway."_

Merope was so white Meredith felt sure she was going to faint and though part of her wanted to reach out a make sure she was alright she knew this was simply a memory and she would be unable to touch her.

"_What's that_?" said Gaunt sharply, also in Parseltongue, looking from his son to his daughter. "_What did you say, Morfin?"_

"_She likes looking at that Muggle_," said Morfin, a vicious expression on his face as he stared at his sister, who now looked terrified. "_Always in the garden when he passes, peering through the hedge at him, isn't she? And last night —"_

Merope shook her head jerkily, imploringly, but Morfin went on ruthlessly, "_Hanging out of the window waiting for him to ride home, wasn't she_?"

"_Hanging out of the window to look at a Muggle_?" said Gaunt quietly.

All three of the Gaunts seemed to have forgotten Ogden, who was looking both bewildered and irritated at this renewed outbreak of incomprehensible hissing and rasping.

"They won't_ hurt_ her will they?" Meredith muttered as she walked towards Dumbledore, glaring at Marvolo as she passed. She wished this was real so she could stick her wand down his throat and try out that dark blasting hex she'd recently read about.

Morfin she could almost, _almost_ over look because he was a product of his raising – something his sister had probably only escaped as she was hated by both – but that didn't mean she wouldn't have hexed him as well.

"I believe they already have in the past my dear girl," Dumbledore said sadly and Meredith blinked and frowned, that wasn't exactly what she meant. When she had said hurt she meant more along the line of maim, or mortally wound.

_"Is it true_?" said Gaunt in a deadly voice, advancing a step or two toward the terrified girl. "_My daughter — pure-blooded descendant of Salazar Slytherin — hankering after a filthy, dirt-veined Muggle?"_

Merope shook her head frantically, pressing herself into the wall, apparently unable to speak.

"_But I got him, Father!"_ cackled Morfin. "_I got him as he went by and he didn't look so pretty with hives all over him, did he, Mer-Mer_?"

Meredith sneered at the nickname, so close to her own, and her wand hand twitched again. Disgusting, it was as bad if not a bit worst then the Dursleys had treated her. She found she was unable to stop herself from comparing Marvolo and Morfin to her uncle and cousin. She's always hated bullies and to her Morfin was a big bully, but more dangerous since he had magic. Both Merope's father and Brother were more dangerous in ways because of their magic.

"_You disgusting little Squib, you filthy little blood traitor!"_ roared Gaunt, losing control, and his hands closed around his daughter's throat.

Both Meredith and Ogden yelled "No!" at the same time; Ogden raised his wand and cried, "Relashio!" while Dumbledore placed a hand – obviously trying to calm her – on her shoulder. She began to shake it off angrily but then recalled it was simply a memory.

Gaunt was thrown backward, away from his daughter; he tripped over a chair and fell flat on his back. With a roar of rage, Morfin leapt out of his chair and ran at Ogden, brandishing his bloody knife and firing hexes indiscriminately from his wand.

Ogden ran for his life.

Dumbledore indicated that they ought to follow and Meredith obeyed, Merope's screams echoing in her ears, making her twitch as she recalled the punishments she had suffered at the Dursley's hands. She wished to help her but Merope was already to far from reach to help. By over fifty years now.

Turning back to the memory, blinking back tears, she noticed Ogden hurtled up the path and erupted onto the main lane, his arms over his head, where he collided with the glossy chestnut horse ridden by a very handsome, dark-haired young man. The very man that had been seen from the window, Tom Riddle Sr. This must be how she was able to see them as they passed without Ogden having had actually been looking out the window himself. He'd actually met them.

Both he and the pretty girl riding beside him on a gray horse roared with laughter at the sight of Ogden, who bounced off the horse's flank and set off again, his frock coat flying, covered from head to foot in dust, running as quickly as he could up the lane, almost at a zig-zag in his hurry.

"I think that will do, Meredith," said Dumbledore. He took Meredith by the elbow and tugged. Next moment, they were both soaring weightlessly through darkness, until they landed squarely on their feet, back in Dumbledore's now twilit office.

"What happened to the girl in the cottage?" said Meredith at once, as Dumbledore lit extra lamps with a flick of his wand. "Merope, they didn't kill her." It wasn't a question, it was obvious she had to survive unless she was wrong about Merope being Tom's mother and she was sure she was not.

"Oh, she survived," said Dumbledore, re-seating himself behind his desk and indicating that Meredith should sit down too. "Ogden Apparated back to the Ministry and returned with reinforcements within fifteen minutes. Morfin and his father attempted to fight, but both were overpowered, removed from the cottage, and subsequently convicted by the Wizengamot. Morfin, who already had a record of Muggle attacks, was sentenced to three years in Azkaban. Marvolo, who had injured several Ministry employees in addition to Ogden, received six months."

"Marvolo? I was right, Merope is Tom's mother," Meredith said, her eyes lowered and filled with resignation and wonder. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, obviously he'd heard her call Voldemort Tom something she really had never done before.

"That's right," said Dumbledore, smiling in approval. "I am glad to see you're keeping up."

"That old man was his grandfather," she said and Dumbledore nodded.

"Voldemort's grandfather, yes," said Dumbledore. "Marvolo, his son, Morfin, and his daughter, Merope, were the last of the Gaunts, a very ancient Wizarding family noted for a vein of instability and violence that flourished through the generations due to their habit of marrying their own cousins.

"That can't be all?" Meredith said snorting. "Plenty of Pureblooded families marry their cousins. Sirius' mother married hers and I'm sure the Potter's did their fair share of it as well." Dumbledore gave her a shocked look but nodded.

"Well yes, that is true but mostly Purebloods marry second cousins, there are exceptions but I suppose the Gaunts simply took it to the extremes. First cousins, I think I've even read a few half-siblings through the years, and what not." It was painfully obvious Dumbledore was keeping more of the gory details under wraps, probably thinking her to naive, innocent and sensitive for such things. "Of course generations ago they did marry into other Pureblooded families but eventually paranoia got the better of them."

Dumbledore shook his head. "Lack of sense coupled with a great liking for grandeur meant that the family gold was squandered several generations before Marvolo was born. He, as you saw, was left in squalor and poverty, with a very nasty temper, a fantastic amount of arrogance and pride, and a couple of family heirlooms that he treasured just as much as his son, and rather more than his daughter."

"So Merope," begun Meredith, "is Voldemort's mother." Again it wasn't a question, but a statement.

"She was," said Dumbledore. "And it so happens that we also had a glimpse of Voldemort's father. I wonder whether you noticed?"

"The Muggle Morfin attacked, the man on the horse." Meredith laughed shortly. "It's rather hard not to notice Headmaster, they could have been twins given some minor differences."

"Very good indeed," said Dumbledore, beaming. "Yes, that was Tom Riddle senior, the handsome Muggle who used to go riding past the Gaunt cottage and for whom Merope Gaunt cherished a secret, burning passion."

"And they ended up married?" Meredith said in disbelief, unable to imagine two people less likely to fall in love. She blushed, maybe she could but instantly she shook her head. Thought's like that would only get in into a mess. "Merope could have been rather pretty, but I can't see Tom Riddle Sr. as posh and handsome as he was falling for such a poverty stricken girl."

"I think you are forgetting, my dear," said Dumbledore, "that Merope was a witch. I do not believe that her magical powers appeared to their best advantage when she was being terrorized by her father. Once Marvolo and Morfin were safely in Azkaban, once she was alone and free for the first time in her life, then, I am sure, she was able to give full rein to her abilities and to plot her escape from the desperate life she had led for eighteen years."

"Understandable," she muttered, she felt the same about her relatives.

"Can you not think of any measure Merope could have taken to make Tom Riddle forget his Muggle companion, and fall in love with her instead?"

"The Imperius Curse, but I doubt, no matter the time she was given away from her father and brother, that'd she have that kind of power, to be able to power it all the time," Meredith suggested. "A love potion possibly? Slughorn was teaching us of Amortentia last week."

"Very good. Personally, I am inclined to think that she used a love potion. I am sure it would have seemed more romantic to her, and I do not think it would have been very difficult, some hot day, when Riddle was riding alone, to persuade him to take a drink of water.

In any case, within a few months of the scene we have just witnessed, the village of Little Hangleton enjoyed a tremendous scandal. You can imagine the gossip it caused when the squire's son ran off with the tramp's daughter, Merope."

"I bet Marvolo didn't like that." Dumbledore chuckled slightly and shook his head.

"The villagers' shock was nothing to Marvolo's, you are correct. He returned from Azkaban, expecting to find his daughter dutifully awaiting his return with a hot meal ready on his table. Instead, he found a clear inch of dust and her note of farewell, explaining what she had done." Dumbledore seemed positive of this turn of events and she could find little wrong with it.

"From all that I have been able to discover, he never mentioned her name or existence from that time forth. The shock of her desertion may have contributed to his early death — or perhaps he had simply never learned to feed himself. Azkaban had greatly weakened Marvolo, and he did not live to see Morfin return to the cottage."

"And Merope?" Meredith asked, sadness obvious in her tone and eyes. It was almost worrying to Dumbledore, who had never thought that maybe Meredith would not scorn Merope – not that he had wanted her to really – or even Tom – which would be surprising he'd admit – but would be saddened for them. He hadn't realized until she had stood next to the memory of Merope Gaunt just how alike the two girls were. "She died didn't she? Tom was brought up in a orphanage and I can't see her leaving her son in such a place if she'd lived."

She had called him Tom again, Dumbledore noticed and while he frowned in curiosity he did not ask or give it much more thought.

"Yes, indeed," said Dumbledore. "We must do a certain amount of guessing here, although I do not think it is difficult to deduce what happened. You see, within a few months of their runaway marriage, Tom Riddle reappeared at the manor house in Little Hangleton without his wife. The rumor flew around the neighborhood that he was talking of being 'hoodwinked' and 'taken in.' What he meant, I am sure, is that he had been under an enchantment that had now lifted, though I daresay he did not dare use those precise words for fear of being thought insane. When they heard what he was saying, however, the villagers guessed that Merope had lied to Tom Riddle, pretending that she was going to have his baby, and that he had married her for this reason."

"But she did have his baby."

"But not until a year after they were married. Tom Riddle left her while she was still pregnant."

"He left her?" Meredith asked, repulsed. She had known from what the diary Riddle had told her that his father had left but he'd thought maybe it was after he'd been born with the assumption his mother had lived. The way things were looking now though it appeared she died in childbirth. "Why?"

"Again, this is guesswork," said Dumbledore, "but I believe that Merope, who was deeply in love with her husband, could not bear to continue enslaving him by magical means. I believe that she made the choice to stop giving him the potion. Perhaps, besotted as she was, she had convinced herself that he would by now have fallen in love with her in return. Perhaps she thought he would stay for the baby's sake. If so, she was wrong on both counts. He left her, never saw her again, and never troubled to discover what became of his son."

"That's...that's terrible. How could anyone leave their son, I don't care if it's the devil itself, how could anyone do that?" Meredith raged, her eyes cold. And they wondered why Tom had daddy issues!

"Wouldn't you if you have been given love potion against your will Meredith?" Dumbledore asked.

"That's sort of hard to say Headmaster, as I am girl, but I would never leave my child! He had a obligation to that baby even if he was controlled, you should never blame an innocent life for something it did not ask for!" Dumbledore gazed at the redhead, his hands folded in front of him. It was troubling how passionately she talked on Voldemort's behalf but he could also understand. He thought it was rather cowardly for Tom Riddle Sr. to run from his wife and unborn child as well, even if he was justified in a sick sort of way.

The sky outside was inky black and the lamps in Dumbledore's office seemed to glow more brightly than before.

"I think that will do for tonight, Meredith," said Dumbledore after a moment or two. "It is rather late, and I do believe you need your sleep."

"Yes, sir," said Meredith, finally calming down though she was still rather upset.

Meredith got to her feet, but did not leave. She had turned to go but then a question occurred to her, and she turned back again. "Sir, am I allowed to tell Ron and Hermione everything you've told me?"

Dumbledore considered this for a moment, then said, "Yes, I think Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger have proved themselves trust-worthy. But Meredith, I am going to ask you to ask them not to repeat any of this to anybody else. It would not be a good idea if word got around how much I know, or suspect, about Lord Voldemort's secrets."

"No, sir, I'll make sure it's just Ron and Hermione. Good night."

Sh turned away again, and was almost at the door when she saw it. Sitting on one of the little spindle-legged tables that supported so many frail-looking silver instruments, was an ugly gold ring set with a large, cracked, black stone. Her eyes widened, that ring, she knew it from the memory! Then it hit her again, the chain around Merope's neck, it was the same around Salazar's in the portrait!

"Sir," said Meredith, staring at it. "That ring —"

"Yes?" said Dumbledore.

"You were wearing it when we visited Professor Slughorn that night."

"So I was," Dumbledore agreed.

"But isn't it, isn't it the same ring Marvolo Gaunt showed Ogden?"

Dumbledore bowed his head. "The very same."

"But how come —? Have you always had it?" This didn't make since, and then her eyes caught the movement he made with his hands, his healed over ghosting over the decaying one.

"No, I acquired it very recently," said Dumbledore. "A few days before I came to fetch you from your aunt and uncle's, in fact."

"That would be around the time you injured your hand, then, sir?"

"Around that time, yes, Meredith."

Meredith hesitated. Dumbledore was smiling.

"Sir, how exactly —?"

"Too late, Meredith! You shall hear the story another time. Good night." Meredith frowned, thinking it was rather rude how he'd changed the subject and cut her off. She did not push it though and nodded.

"Good night, sir." Then she was gone but she did not return to the common room, she made her way to Moaning Myrtle's lavatory and down into the chamber. Hopefully tonight she'd see Tom because truthfully, this slide was beginning to get on her bloody nerves!

**xXx**

_She had fallen asleep that night in the bed chamber of the Chamber of Secrets with instructions that Salazar was to wake her within two hours. To her immense joy she had fallen asleep only moments latter and found herself in the Riddle Manor yet this time in a bedroom, different then other times though she supposed they could leave rooms and enter others if they so desired. _

_The was room was warm with chocolates, crimsons, greens and silvers. Elegant yet not feminine, though it could probably appeal to either sex, it had a masculine feel about it. _

"_Good, I was beginning to wonder If we'd find our way back here," a deep voice said and she whirled around and smiled. It didn't matter to her he was currently in stained robes and snake-like, or that it was totally out of character she moved as quick as a striking cobra and had her arms wrapped around his middle, her face in his chest – since she barely made it to his shoulders._

_She felt him stiffen under her and then she realized he'd shifted back into his human appearance as he pulled her back after a moment or two. Obviously she'd caught him by surprise by the mix of emotions on his face. She backed up, smiling meekly as she blushed, her hands folded in front of her. _

"_What brought that on?" he asked and she back up and sat down on the end of the bed. She realized it was soft as she did but quickly pulled her focus back. _

"_It's been an off week," she said, not willing to admit she'd missed him. "A rough night." _

"_I see, did you see the Daily Prophets?" he asked and Meredith looked up at him, her eyes sparkling as she grinned savagely. _

_Tom watched mesmerized, Nagini had not shut up since his confession of love. He'd had to ignore her constant whispers and remind her in the beginning that he'd said she was his to love, not that he loved her – according to Nagini there was no difference. Even if he did have feelings for her, Meredith would never return them, he'd after all killed many people, even her parents. Tried to kill her many times in the past. _

"_I did, it made my day that much better. I assume you've found out about Wormtail by now as well. From the way Nagini wrote it seemed as if you had not realized he was missing." Tom blinked, Nagini...wrote? _

"_Excuse me? Did you just say Nagini wrote – ?" Meredith laughed. _

"_So it was her who wrote it and not you who wrote what she said? I thought so after finding a few words spelled wrong and out of context, not to mention my name but I didn't realize Snake's could write, even if the inside was Parseltongue." Meredith grinned. "I'm sorry, but Nagini seems like a pretty cool snake. You'll tell her I loved the gift, though Hedwig is a bit peeved someone else beat her to the rat." _

"_That sneaky minx," Tom muttered, shaking his head. "I'll be sure to pass along your thanks. Though I am at a lost as to how she got him crucified." Meredith laughed, her eyes alight wickedly and Tom's mouth fell open. It couldn't possibly be? _

"_Little Redbird, is there something you wish to tell me?" he asked and Meredith laughed harder. _

"_Besides the fact you just sounded like Dumbledore – Dumb-as-a-door according to Nagini – not that I know of." She smiled innocently. _

"_Merry..." Tom stopped short and blinked. "Dumb-as-a-door? Well, that's a new one." _

"_You should give her a rat," Meredith said seriously before bursting into giggles. _

"_That was a terrible pun dear Redbird." Tom sat down beside her and Meredith ran a hand through her hair as she stopped laughing. _

"_I may have had Kreacher take him to the Ministry and crucify him for me. It wouldn't look very good if the Girl-Who-Lived was caught crucifying someone, death eater or not." _

_Tom smirked. "That innocent act is just that isn't it my dear little Slytherin lioness?" Meredith blushed at the pet name, and Tom chuckled. _

"_Did you get into the Chamber alright?" he asked finally and Meredith nodded, before she turned an narrowed gaze onto him. He raised an eyebrow. _

"_I did, but how in Morgan Le Fay's name did you stand sliding down that filthy pipe all the time?" Tom stared at her for a moment and then laughed, his head thrown back as he clutched his stomach in honest to god laughter. Meredith stared at him like he'd grown another head. Seriously, she didn't find it funny at all. _

"_The...pipe? You actually have been sliding down that...haha..." Tom tried to get out only to laugh harder and Meredith rolled her eyes. _

_She growled impatiently and Tom finally caught a hold of himself and looked at her with a wide smile – so unusual for his usual half or slight smiles – and shook his head. She couldn't help but notice the wide honest smile made him look even more handsome then before. She bit her cheek hard to bring herself back to earth as he began to speak. _

"_I didn't go down the slide silly Redbird. The pipe is for the Basilisk, or at least it was." Tom shook his head. "That is one of the entrances humans can get down but only with the right password, and there are stairs dear. Not to mention there is another entrance in the dungeons outside the Slytherin common rooms. I assume you've found the exit in the bed chamber since you haven't mention trying to - Salazar forbid – levitate yourself out of the pipes." He let out a small chuckle as he said this and Meredith rolled her eyes, her face tinted red in righteous anger. _

"_How...why – Why didn't you tell me this before!" she yelled, her shoulder slumped forward after her exclamation._

"_I thought you knew, and I forgot." Meredith blinked _

"_You forgot? Great, but I tried to call for stairs and it didn't work." Tom snorted. _

"_Yeah, well the password isn't stairs it's descend. The one to the passageway outside the Slytherin rooms is Serenity." _

"_Serenity, Salazar's daughter?" she asked and Tom looked at her startled. _

"_Yes, you couldn't mean that Salazar has spoken to you?" Tom asked, his voice tight. She looked at him strangely. _

"_Yes, wasn't he suppose to?" she asked and Tom sighed. _

"_It took me months to find the chamber, and weeks before Salazar even made his presence known to me. You're there a day and he opens his mouth!" Tom seemed to pout. "How's that fair?" _

_She chuckled, the big bad Dark Lord was actually whining! "It was more like a day and half, but whose counting ?"  
><em>

"_That's not funny."  
><em>

"_It is." Meredith sat there a moment as silence fell upon them and then she cracked. _

"_I had lessons with Dumbledore today." Tom looked at her in interest. _

"_And what did the old coot teach you Meredith? How to eat lemon drops perhaps?" Meredith chuckled and shook her head._

"_He showed me a memory." _

"_A memory?" Tom asked in disbelief. "He wants you to fight and kill me like this so called prophecy dictates but he only gives your memories to do so? Well either he knows something we don't or he wants you to loose." _

_Meredith nodded. "Or both." _

"_The memory wasn't just of anything Tom," she said looking over at him. "It was from this ministry official, Bob Ogden." Tom raised an eyebrow. _

"_Familiar name, I believe I met him once or twice a long time ago. Or at least heard of him, he was a Half-Blood I believe, maybe a Muggle-Born." Meredith nodded. _

"_I got the same impression. He was on Ministry work, to Little Hangleton." Meredith looked up at Tom who had slightly wider then usual eyes. The red more apparent in his surprise. _

"_Little Hangleton?" he muttered questioningly. _

"_To see Morfin," she said and then frowned. "I saw your mother – " Her words got stuck in her throat and she swallowed. _

"_Would you like to see the memory Tom? I think you should, I mean if you wanted to." Tom stared at her. He had never seen what his mother had looked like, when he was younger he remembered asking the matron of the orphanage but she would grimace and simply say he had her eyes. Then tell him not to ask again, at first he thought maybe she had been beautiful and the plain matron was jealous but after meeting his uncle he began to think maybe it was the exact opposite. _

"_If you don't mind?" Tom said and Meredith smiled before moving farther back on the soft bed until her back hit the silk covered pillows and Tom followed her. At first she blushed, realizing they were indeed on a very large, very comfortable bed and from Tom's smirk and mischievous glint he realized that as well, and her embarrassment as he sat in front of her. _

_They had no Pensieve so he was forced to use Legillimency on her, but unlike Snape's attacks she let this through her shields, as few and weak as they were, and he was rather gentle as he searched for the memory. _

…_**..a man in what appeared to be rags dropped from the nearest tree, landing on his feet right in front of Ogden, who leapt backward so fast he stood on the tails of his frock coat and stumbled.**_

_**"You're not welcome." **_

**"Morfin!" said a loud voice. _An elderly man had come hurrying out of the cottage..._**

_**"Ministry, is it?"**_

**"Correct!" said Ogden angrily, dabbing his face. "And you, I take it, are Mr. Gaunt?"**

_**"S'right," said Gaunt. "Got you in the face, did he?"**_

**"All right, all right, all right!" bellowed Gaunt. "Come in the bleeding house, then, and much good it'll do you!"**

**The house seemed to contain three tiny rooms. Two doors led off the main room, which served as kitchen and living room combined. Morfin was sitting in a filthy armchair beside the smoking fire, twisting a live adder between his thick fingers and crooning softly at it in Parseltongue:**

_**Hissy, hissy, little snakey,**_

_**Slither on the floor**_

_**You be good to Morfin**_

_**Or he'll nail you to the door.**_

_Tom raised an eyebrow as he saw this before delving back in, his hand going to Meredith's face, cupping her cheek as he stared into her eyes to go back into the memory._

…_**..a girl whose ragged gray dress was the exact color of the dirty stone wall behind her. She was standing beside a steaming pot on a grimy black stove, and was fiddling around with the shelf of squalid-looking pots and pans above it. **_

_**Her hair was lank and dull – probably a dirty blonde or light brown without the grime, maybe a soft auburn color - like it hadn't been washed in months, maybe years. She had a plain, pale, rather heavy face, aged beyond her years in ways. Her eyes, like her brother's, stared in opposite directions but they were not brown or black like her father or brothers – they were dark and bright but they were charcoal green...**_

_**"M'daughter, Merope," said Gaunt grudgingly.**_

_**"Well, Mr. Gaunt," said Ogden, "to get straight to the point, we have reason to believe that your son, Morfin, performed magic in front of a Muggle late last night."**_

_**There was a deafening clang. Merope had dropped one of the pots.**_

_**"Pick it up!" Gaunt bellowed at her. "That's it, grub on the floor like some filthy Muggle, what's your wand for, you useless sack of muck?" **_

_**Gaunt screamed, "Mend it, you pointless lump, mend it!"**_

_**Merope stumbled across the room, but before she had time to raise her wand, Ogden had lifted his own and said firmly, "Reparo." The pot mended itself instantly. **_

…_**.Gaunt ran toward his daughter. For a split second, Meredith thought he was going to throttle her as his hand flew to her throat; something she knew didn't feel to good from experience with her uncle, and the next moment, he was dragging her toward Ogden by a gold chain around her neck.**_

_**"See this?" he bellowed at Ogden, shaking a heavy gold locket at him, while Merope spluttered and gasped for breath.**_

_**"I see it, I see it!" said Ogden hastily.**_

_**"Slytherins!" yelled Gaunt. "Salazar Slytherin's! We're his last living descendants, what do you say to that, eh?"**_

_**"Mr. Gaunt, your daughter!" said Ogden in alarm, but Gaunt had already released Merope; she staggered away from him, back to her corner, massaging her neck and gulping for air.**_

_**"So!" said Gaunt triumphantly, as though he had just proved a complicated point beyond all possible dispute. "Don't you go talking to us as if we're dirt on your shoes! Generations of pure-bloods, wizards all — more than you can say, I don't doubt!"**_

_**And he spat on the floor at Ogdens feet. Morfin cackled again. Merope, huddled beside the window, her head bowed and her face hidden by her lank hair, said nothing.**_

_**"Is it true?" said Gaunt in a deadly voice, advancing a step or two toward the terrified girl. "My daughter — pure-blooded descendant of Salazar Slytherin — hankering after a filthy, dirt-veined Muggle?"**_

_**Merope shook her head frantically, pressing herself into the wall, apparently unable to speak.**_

_**"But I got him, Father!" cackled Morfin. "I got him as he went by and he didn't look so pretty with hives all over him, did he, Mer-Mer?" **_

_**"You disgusting little Squib, you filthy little blood traitor!" roared Gaunt, losing control, and his hands closed around his daughter's throat...**_

_Tom pulled out then, letting his hand which was still cupping Meredith's pale cheek slide away and looking at his lap. He had known from what his insane uncle had said that night so long ago that they had not liked his mother, but he had no idea they'd treated her worse then even the Orphanage had treated him. _

_Though it was similar, he had most the children scared out of their wits of him by the time he was eight. His mother had suffered, because her magic was pushed so far down by the hate and abuse she suffered for not being as good with magic as they thought she should be. _

_He had resented his mother for years now, for dying, for loving a filthy muggle, for not being powerful enough, sometimes even for having him at all. Now he didn't know what to think of her, he did know the matron had been right. No matter how crossed his mother's eyes at been they were the same shape and color as his own had once been – thankfully it hadn't been the shape of her eyes which were deformed, it had been her eyes themselves looking in different directions. _

_Truthfully he didn't see much wrong with his mother compared to his grandfather and uncle, cleaned up he thought his mother might have been quite pretty, plain maybe but not ugly either. As if hearing his very thoughts Meredith smiled. _

"_She was pretty, and she could have been a powerful witch if she'd gotten the proper care and schooling." Tom looked at her and smiled slightly. _

"_I didn't expect it to bother me as much as it has." He said. "I used to wonder if maybe my decision to frame Morfin was hasty, but now I do not." _

"_You regretted it?" she asked. _

_Tom shook his head. "No, not exactly. I wondered if maybe I should have killed him myself and while I do not like the way he treated her, I do now believe the Dementors were more then enough. After all I have been insane before as well, a product of my own upbringing." _

"_Your grandfather?" she asked and it wasn't a second before his face twisted nastily. _

"_Got away easily, I can only hope he died slowly however it was he went." _

"_Tom, you killed your father and grandparents that night you framed Morfin correct?" she asked and Tom nodded, wondering where she was going with this. "What really happened?" _

_He sighed. "It didn't go well if that's what you're asking? Would you like to see Meredith?" She stared at him in shock and he grinned, surprising her even more. _

"_But how?" she asked and Tom moved closer, raising her chin with his hand and moving their faces closer together. Meredith's breath caught in her throat as her eyes moved from his lips up to his eyes, an inhuman red. Soon their foreheads were touching, and he held her face steady with both his hands. _

"_Stay calm, still and focus only on me. Look into my eyes, and let me do the rest," he said softly and Meredith did as he asked. As she stared into hypnotic eyes she felt like she was sliding into a Pensieve, but it was softer, gentler and didn't make her sick. Soon she felt like she was seeing through his eyes – sort of like when she'd been seeing through Nagini last year or had those visions but it was also different, not as invasive and for the first time she realized in the weeks she'd been in Tom's presence not once had her scar truly hurt. Tingled, maybe but not hurt. _

_'That's because I have no will to hurt you anymore little Redbird,' came the whispered reply from Tom and she realized while she was seeing through his eyes this memory he could hear her thoughts as well. _

"_**My God in heaven," a woman said softly as he entered the dinning room. Her eyes, a soft amber – sort of like her son's but they only showed saint-like love and compassion if that was even possible. She had pale brown hair which was curly and beside her was a burly man, with a face a lot like his son and graying black hair. His eyes were crinkled, his face wrinkled much like his wife's and a pale blue. His eyes were also wide with shock. **_

_**Tom Riddle Sr. sat farther down from them, but had dropped his silverwear as Tom entered. He was older, with the beginning of gray hairs and wrinkles, frown lines as well. His amber eyes were harder, almost cold compaired to his mother's similar ones. He looked anger and terrified at the same time. **_

"_**Good Lord," Thomas Riddle spoke softly standing. "Who are you son, why are you here? Why do you look like..." **_

_**Tom looked at the man almost hopefully with green eyes, lighter then usual. So these were his grandparents and that meant the man who looked so similar to him but older must be his father? The Muggle? They were all Muggles he reminded himself but if...if they would have him, take him from the cursed orphanage, he could over look that? Maybe he was wrong and not all Muggles were the same as the ones who'd tormented him growing up. **_

"_**My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, I'm your grandson," he replied his voice confident yet meek at the same time. Meredith could feel his hope and conflict, his fear as she watched the reactions. The woman, Mary – ironically – dropped her napkin and stood sharply, her hands flying to her mouth. Thomas' eyes widened and he looked between Tom and Tom Sr. **_

_**Thomas' eyes turned cold, rage burned clearly in his eyes and at first Tom thought it was directed at him when suddenly he turned on his son who had calmly stood as well, wiping his mouth on his napkin as if Tom was not there at all. In fact he hadn't even looked at his son. **_

"_**Tomas Oliver Riddle! Explain this at once!" he roared. "By God Tom, what have you done!" **_

"_**Tomas Riddle, I thought I'd raised you better," Mary Riddle – she seemed to have an Irish accent – muttered shaking her head as she moved away from the table and over to Tom who stood calmly, yet he was sort of feeling out of place. He had second guessed himself many times this night but maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he once thought. **_

_**Mary was at his side and had begun running a hand over his forehead and face gently, like a mother or grandmother he supposed though he'd never felt that kind of love or touch so he was unsure what she was trying to accomplish. **_

"_**Your his spiting image, but sharper somehow, taller and with such beautiful green eyes." Mary said smiling. "From your mother I assume. Where is she I wonder, it is the poor Merope Gaunt isn't it?" Seeing the look on the young mans face she back tracked. "No, I mean no disrespect, poor dear had such a lousy home life though. I always felt bad for her, is your mother well?" **_

"_**Mother, please don't interact with him!" Tom Sr. yelled, disgust in his voice. "He is an abomination, his mother was one as well!" **_

"_**Tomas! That is your son!" Thomas Riddle cried, shocked. Mary turned and walked over, and slapped her son across the face. **_

"_**You do no speak ill of the boy's mother! You told us she had hoodwinked you, that she was a liar! You told us she wasn't with child, but look at that boy Tomas, he is your son there isn't a doubt about it!" she yelled tears falling from her eyes. **_

"_**See what you've done boy!" Thomas raged. "You've gone and made your mother cry. Disgraceful, the Riddle's were a prestigious family once, and then you ran off when all you need of done was come to us and then we find you've lied to use for almost eighteen long years!" **_

"_**She was a lying wench, a useless woman without even a good feature upon her body!" Tom Sr. yelled back and Tom gripped his hands into fist. He had his problems with his mother but he didn't like her to be spoken ill of either. At least not by the filth who left her to die. **_

"_**She's dead." The three Riddle's turned to look at him and Thomas' eyes widened and Mary let out a strangled sob. **_

"_**Dead?" Tom Sr. asked shocked but his face broke into a large grin. **_

"_**She died having me. I grew up in the Orphanage, she lived only long enough to name me." **_

"_**Good, she was an evil woman, ugly inside and out," Tom Sr. said with a laugh and Tom watched with amazement as Thomas backhanded his son. **_

"_**We are a family of God boy, we do not speak ill of the dead! Especially not the mother of your son!" **_

"_**Family of God you say! She was witch father, she had bewitched me. Her spawn will undoubtedly be just the same," Tom Sr. said sneering at his son. Tom glared, his left hand twitching to his wand. **_

"_**Absurd!" Thomas yelled. **_

"_**The poor boy has suffered because of your cowardice, witches indeed!" Mary said her eyes flashing with somewhat of recognition. It was curious and Meredith who was still watching through Tom's eyes had to wonder if maybe Mary knew of the magical world, a relative that was a Muggle-Born perhaps? **_

"_**He is no son of mine mother! I will have nothing to do with the spawn of that scarlet woman." Tom growled, drawing what he thought was his wand. Meredith recognized it as Morfin's. **_

"_**Do not speak of her like that, you left her to die! You filthy Muggle!" Tom yelled suddenly and with a quick swish she heard the yells of her grandmother and the green curse shot out and struck. Tom Riddle Sr. collapsed dead in his chair which he was standing in front of. **_

"_**Tomas?" Thomas Riddle asked, his eyes wide and his mouth agape in shock and fear. **_

"_**Tom, please don't," Mary said holding out her hand as if she could tell what her grandson was thinking. Meredith couldn't see Tom's face but she could feel as Tom built a wall around his guilt of what he was about to do and push it back. **_

"_**I'm sorry, but I don't have a choice." With those words there were two quick flashes and both elder Riddle's hit the floor. **_

_**Tom began to pace, thinking on what he should do. He hadn't come here to kill them but they were dead and he was back at square one – the orphanage. The only thing that placated him was that he could leave the following summer, he might have attempted it this summer but he had no money, no other place to go. At least not any longer. **_

"_**I truly am sorry," he whispered before levitating them into their chairs as if they'd died there and for once noticing it was not the yew wand in his hands but Morfin's short walnut wand. He had a plan. **_

_Meredith gasped as she came back to reality, and Tom released her face and moved back, putting some space between them. Meredith's heart was racing and she noticed her eyes were wet and so was her cheeks. She had been crying. _

"_You didn't go there to kill them?" she asked shocked and he shook his head. _

"_No, I didn't." _


	14. Stress becomes Her

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

******A/N 4/3/12: Well, here is the next chapter. I would like to apologize for being so late with it but I've been having some stomach probelms lately, and haven't been feeling to good. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter. The romance in this chapter is pretty developed and though I didn't want to have Tom and Merry get together so soon when I began this story my muse told me it was time so here it is guys. ******

******I am also so happy with the reviews, thank you all. R&R!  
><strong>****

**Rumor Has It.**

**Chapter 13: Stress Becomes Her. **

"_Tom," Meredith spoke as she gained control over her emotions. Tom looked up from where he was staring at the bed covers. He wasn't the best at comforting others, and crying girls were never something he was good with. He was a little lost over why she was crying, the memory hadn't been meant to cause her pain. _

"_Meredith, why do you cry?" Tom said as he reached over and wiped the tears away with his thumb. He smiled mentally as her eyes widened a little, her hazel eyes seeming closer to the same green as her left in this instant, and he was sure he could feel as her heart beat speed up in that moment. _

"_I...I don't know," she said, her mind half focusing on the feeling that Tom's touch sent through her. She almost wanted to groan in disappointment when he pulled his hand away. _

"_Don't," he said softly, and Meredith nodded. She wasn't sure exactly what to say, what more was there to say? Then she remembered, the ring and locket! _

"_Tom, about Dumbledore's hand," she began and Tom looked at her with a questioning expression. "I'm not sure but I think it might have something to do with the ring Marvolo Gaunt was wearing." _

_It all happened so fast, Tom's eyes had gotten comically large and he'd started hissing savagely under his breathe, words she didn't even know the meaning for, and jumped from the bed and began to pace. Obviously she had been correct, at least partially. _

_::How could he have known, I was careful to hide them, wasn't I?:: Tom muttered and Meredith looked at him, moving from the bed to stand beside it. _

_::Tom? What's wrong?:: she hissed back and Tom spun around to look at her and sighed. _

"_The ring, it was gold with a black stone wasn't it?" he asked and Meredith nodded. _

"_I was afraid of that. You were correct the ring is the reason for his hands deterioration, He'll have destroyed it by now, which would account for my sanity getting even better over the months..." he sighed, trailing off and running a hand through his wavy black hair. "Maybe it doesn't matter, it was a mistake to make so many in the first place." _

"_Tom, I'm confused." He walked over to her and sighed. _

"_When I was sixteen I got in too deep," Tom began as he took her hand and led her to the bed where he sat down and motioned for her to sit beside him. "You know the Dark Arts can be dangerous, additive as I've told you before. Salazar tried to talk me out of it of course. While it wouldn't harm me to adversely had I taken it slow, done it properly, actually researched the ritual I was obsessed with, it might not have ended so badly. I didn't listen to his warnings and jumped head long into it, one of the biggest mistakes I've made. It was actually the night I killed my father that I made my first one – the diary." _

_He shook his head almost remorseful of his own youthful ignorance and Meredith looked at him, listening attentively, not even realizing or caring that she had a tight grip on his larger hand and the grip was returned. She wouldn't lie, she liked it. _

"_The ritual is known as Horcruxes, the Darkest of the Dark according to the Ministry and Light. Truth is there are darker rituals out there, some even I wasn't far enough gone to attempt." He looked at her then, his eyes the most unguarded she'd ever seen. _

"_The ritual is a way of immortality. It takes sacrifice of a human soul, murder and a focus container. Once you've committed the murder you have only seconds to do the spell and it takes a bit of the casters soul and forces it into the container. As long as it exists, even if the caster dies, they can return. It also has the fortune of slowing the aging process even more then a wizard or witch already does."_

_Meredith's mouth was open in horror. She could tell it was one of the darker rituals – and all dark rituals involved sacrifice of some sort – and she knew Tom had feared death enough in his past that she could see him doing that and though it made her stomach turn she couldn't find it in her to be upset or disgusted by him. _

"_You made one that night," she repeated. "But it wasn't your father or grandparents?" _

"_No, by the time I got around to that thought the time had passed. I found a woman in the village, she saw me leaving and recognized my father in me. I used her for the ritual, I realize now it was my father's old fiance, Cecelia." He let out a bitter laugh. _

"_I messed up the ritual though, the soul is very complicated Merry – " He looked at her, and moved some of her hair away from her face. " - the ritual is not meant for even half the soul, and the soul is a very large entity. You could tare it into thousands of little pieces and still have half a soul. The soul fragment has to be small and I was to zealous, I placed to much of myself into the diary, almost half of my soul, and that is when my descent into insanity truly began. By the time I made the ring a Horcrux I was down to less then half a soul and I could barely function sanely."_

"_That's why the diary was so...crazy, so hell bent of on becoming alive again." She looked at him in understanding. "Horcruxes are never supposed to be able to do that are they?" He shook his head. _

"_No, the Diary was able to do that because it was half of who I am, making it more sentient then a Horcrux should be. When you destroyed it the soul wasn't killed but was let loose. When a container is destroyed the soul returns either to the otherworld or to the owner. I was nothing more then a wraith though so it had to wait and when I was reborn it returned to me." _

"_You didn't seem very sane though," she said shivering at the memory. She could still feel the after tremors of the Crucio if she thought on it to much. Tom sighed. _

"_It takes time, it can't simply return all at once. If I had done it right then it would have but with such a large piece it had to return slowly or I wouldn't have gained my sanity back but lost it even more. By the time I possessed you I had a little under half a soul again, when he destroyed the ring the other larger piece must have returned as well." He chuckled. "Which means by the time the dreams returned before your return to Hogwarts I had regained over half my soul again." _

"_How many did you make?" she asked. _

"_Seven; the Diary, the ring, Slytherins locket, Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's diadem, and Nagini – the rest resides in me and now that the Diary and ring are gone it's just the other four." _

"_That's how you regained your youthful looks as well isn't it?" _

_Tom shrugged. "Sort of, I wasn't as snake-like as my reborn form was in the first war but making so many Horcruxes, the first being such as disaster as it was, caused my good looks to fade rather drastically." _

"_I'm sorry," she said and he raised an eyebrow. _

"_What do you mean little Redbird?" he asked as he released her hand from his and moved her face around to face him. He felt his own heart beat, thumping like it never had before in his chest and he saw how her eyes stared at him with soft understanding. There was no disgust, no terror, nothing he was used to seeing in others eyes when faced with him. There was something else but for the soul of him he couldn't understand what it was. _

"_For this," she said and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. It wasn't cold or disgusting as someone might think for someone considered to be the epitome of evil, but warm and sent sparks through her even if it wasn't much of a kiss. As she moved back she saw that Tom was frozen to his spot, his eyes wide but he didn't seem upset or disgusted either. _

"_Mer – " he began but she didn't hear what he had to say as she was rudely woken from her sleep. _

**xXx**

She had kissed him, she, Meredith Potter – supposed thorn in his side to the Dark – had kissed the Dark Lord. It had been a quick kiss, a peck really but nonetheless she'd acted without thinking and kissed Tom Marvolo Riddle, self proclaimed Lord Voldemort and the greatest feared Dark Lord since Salazar Slytherin. These thoughts plagued her mind the following day and days that followed. More then once her Professors had called her out of her thoughts with disappointed looks and she'd even missed a few patrols.

Hermione had noticed first, not surprisingly, and had been worried. She didn't know what to tell her friend, she couldn't come out and admit to having feelings, the kind she was sure Hermione had for Ron but was too prideful to admit to having, for the Dark Lord of all people. She wasn't afraid of what Tom would do to her, she was afraid of what he would think about it all the next time they saw each other because she knew how the man thought about emotions.

She was terrified though of loosing her friends. She had never had a friend before Hogwarts, and she cherished Ron, and Hermione above all – though Ginny, Luna and Neville had joined some of her closest of friends last year and this year as well. Just what was she willing to loose to keep Tom? She chuckled bitterly as she moved around the common room before breakfast the next Saturday – either Tom had enough control to stop the dreamscapes if he wished or stress and high emotional levels stopped them automatically because she'd not had another one since the night she'd had lessons with Dumbledore – didn't that sound simply love sick?

She stopped dead; love sick? It might explain why she smelt Tom in the Amortentia, but it had only been a month or two, how could anyone fall in love that fast? How could she be sure it was love, and not her mind playing games with her?

Maybe she shouldn't worry about it at all, whatever she felt for Tom she'd find out in time but she knew she really liked him. More then she'd liked anyone of the boys she dated – Cormac not really counting considering he'd only taken her to the Yule ball in fourth year and she'd turned him down for a more in depth relationship. Theo having been the only other boy she'd dated seriously and that had ended messily on both their parts.

She sat down heavily, her head lowered into her hands as she sighed. She was, she was in love with a man thrice her age – though he didn't look a day over twenty-three – and had done unspeakable things in the past and would undoubtedly do them again in the future.

She wished she felt mournful enough to cry over this, what should have been her hearts betrayal but she couldn't. Not because she wasn't a little guilty for betraying the light – because as much as she disliked Dumbledore these days and the light as a whole – but because as they said love made you blind. She wasn't exactly a saint either, war was messy, it was simply how it was. She snorted, she was in love with the Dark Lord, this had to be some sort of bad romance novel. But for now, at least, she wouldn't say she was in love, at least not out loud.

"Meredith, you okay?" Ginny asked as she came to sit beside the girl who jumped. She hadn't heard the other redhead approach and with a nod Meredith smiled. She winced though as she caught Ginny's worried brown eyes, here she was worried over her love issues when she probably should have worried about looking Ginny in the face everyday, knowing she was in love with the man whose soul fragment had possessed her viciously when she was eleven.

"Yeah," she said. "It's just...dreams last night. About Sirius, I've not had a very good night."

It wasn't a total lie, she'd had some stress inducing dreams last night – which probably steamed from her feelings for Tom. She could only hope Sirius, and her parents would understand what she had become, or would become in the future wherever they were in the afterlife. She had to wonder if she'd be allowed in on the day she finally greeted death?

"I miss him too," Ginny said giving her a sympathetic smile. "How's class, you've been kind of, out of it this past week."

Meredith chuckled as she looked back at Ginny with a grin. "Did you seriously just change the subject from Sirius to classes of all things?"

Ginny smirked. "Maybe I did."

"Classes are stressful, and to think I have try outs to hold today and then homework." She shook her head as she thought about it.

She was only two weeks into the first semester and she was already over worked. She wondered how her father had handled it but then she remembered she was also spending most her free time in the Chamber studying work that would probably get her more then a slap on the wrist if found out, homework, scheduling the DA meeting – which was renamed Defense Army as suggested by Neville and agreed upon by the main founders of the club – and setting up the Dueling Chamber which she'd found on the fourth floor thanks to Tom and Salazar – which was who had told Tom about the room years ago.

True enough, Hermione had been right to tell Ron free periods were not for reckless fun. Not only were they studying as though they had exams every day, but the lessons themselves had become more demanding than ever before. It took all the concentration she could muster and she could still just barely understood half of what Professor McGonagall said to them these days; even Hermione had had to ask her to repeat instructions once or twice.

It was a bit stressful despite the fact she'd never been a prodigy in Transfiguration anyways. Incredibly, and to Hermione's increasing resentment, Meredith's best subject had suddenly become Potions, thanks to the Half-Blood Prince.

Nonverbal spells were now expected, not only in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but in Charms and Transfiguration too. Meredith frequently looked over at her classmates in the common room or at mealtimes to see them purple in the face and straining as though they had overdosed on U-No-Poo – a prank item Fred and George had crafted over the summer that was pretty self explanatory; but she knew that they were really struggling to make spells work without saying incantations aloud.

It was a relief to get outside into the greenhouses; they were dealing with more dangerous plants than ever in Herbology – something Neville seemed quite at home about – but at least they were still allowed to swear loudly if the Venomous Tentacula seized them unexpectedly from behind.

Thankfully, with her animagus training she was more agile and sensitive to smells and sounds then ever before so it was harder for anyone to surprise her now days, so she never had to worry about that.

One result of their enormous workload and the frantic hours of practicing nonverbal spells was that Meredith, Ron, and Hermione had so far been unable to find time to go and visit Hagrid. He had stopped coming to meals at the staff table, an ominous sign, and on the few occasions when they had passed him in the corridors or out in the grounds, he had mysteriously failed to notice them or hear their greetings.

Meredith had thought it rather childish if it had anything to do with them not taking his class. Surely he had not thought them able to take the class this year with everything else. The last three years at Hogwarts were always the hardest.

"I can't understand completely, though I do have Owls this year, and classes are a big change from last years." Ginny said, making a face and she knew it could only be towards last years DADA classes. "Of course I think everyone else probably has it a bit easier without Prefect duties, Quidditch, the D.A and finding the chamber we're using this year. Not to mention Vol-Vol – oh screw it, Voldemort."

Meredith cracked an amused smile as she winced all at once. Oh Merlin, what was she going to do? She knew Tom wasn't as evil as he liked to think, but that didn't make him a saint, far from it. He was a Dark Lord and he was evil to some extinct, probably what the muggles would call a borderline if not over half way there sociopath with anti-social tendencies.

Just because he was sane didn't mean his plans had changed that much, he still wanted to rule over magical Britain, and to improve it in his own ways. Muggle-Borns wouldn't be as bad off as they would have been if he'd still been the man he was in her fourth year, or the first war, but he was still a murderer who knew nothing of love but then was she much different.

She had inadvertently killed Quirrell in her first year, the basilisk and the Riddle from the diary – even if he hadn't really died per say – and she'd tried to kill Sirius in her third year – and probably would have had it not been for Remus' interruption. She hadn't grown up loved and as such knew very little of the emotion, for all she knew the 'love' she felt for Tom could be admiration or...she shook her head. She knew enough about love to know when she felt it, and the emotion may not be as strong as her feelings for her friends but it was almost equal.

Merlin, she hated being loves bitch.

**xXx**

"I hate not talking to Hagrid," said Hermione, looking upset. "We have to explain this all to him."

"We'll go down after Quidditch," Meredith assured her. She too was missing Hagrid, although she couldn't say she missed the dangerous creatures the man thought were as harmless as a kitten. The most dangerous animal she wanted to get close to was a snake, and lets face it, she could talk to then. She couldn't exactly talk a sphinx or dragon out of using her bones as toothpicks after having her for lunch.

"But trials might take all morning, the number of people who have applied." She sighed, shaking her head. "It's sort of ridiculous, I dunno why the team's this popular all of a sudden."

"Oh, come on! Really, Meredith," said Hermione, rolling her eyes. "It's not Quidditch that's popular, it's you! You've never been more interesting, and frankly, you've never been more fanciable. Let's face it, your one of the hottest girls in school. Only second to the Ice Queen, Daphne Greengrass."

"It's true," Ginny said sighing. "There is a list, Daphne Greengrass, you, Astoria Greengrass – "

Hermione nodded and continued one for Ginny. "Not surprisingly Ginny comes in fourth, then Cho Chang, Parvati, Padma, Lavender – and believe me she bitches about being that far down on the list all the time." She sneered at the mention of Lavender.

Ron gagged on a large piece of kipper – possibly a delayed reaction. Hermione spared him one look of disdain before turning back to Meredith.

"Why haven't I seen this list, I mean number two? I'm not that pretty." Hermione and Ginny snorted and Ron began to turn a bit green.

"Everyone knows you've been telling the truth now, don't they? The whole Wizarding world has had to admit that you were right about Voldemort being back and that you really have fought him twice in the last two years and escaped both times. And now they're calling you 'the Chosen One' — well, come on, can't you see why people are fascinated by you?"

"And the only way your not pretty is if you're hiding a penis under that skirt," Ginny said and Ron spat out his pumpkin juice as many around them turned to stare. Unfortunately for Neville, who sat across from Ron, he was the unsuspecting target of the projectile pumpkin juice.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley!" Meredith yelped, her eyes wide. Looking around she cursed. This was just her luck, more popularity. Sure, she liked being social but she wasn't ever meant to be the social butterfly her mother had supposedly been or even Ginny and some of the other girls in the dorm. She was now finding the Great Hall very hot all of a sudden, even though the ceiling still looked cold and rainy.

Meredith stood up finally, interrupting anything more Hermione was going to say. "Okay, I get it. I'm popular, unfortunately, but I have to run the try outs so...I'm gonna go and do that."

Just as she turned to go the owls came flying in, to her surprise Antares was one of them and she sat on the bench with a thump. What was he doing here? Surely Tom wasn't sending her mail, he wouldn't curse her with something nasty for the kiss would he? She was sure she had begun to sit as the black owl sat regally on the table which her back was against.

"Mer, you okay?" Ron asked, swallowing bacon – which had suddenly appeared, probably because the house elves had heard a request for it. She swallowed, she could do this. After all, she didn't think he'd curse her, it was just a kiss. A spur of the moment thing, it barely even counted as a kiss! It was a peck, just a peck between friends...or allies – did Dark Lords who return from the deepest burls of insanity have friends?

"Uh, yeah. I'm just surprised to see Antares, I wasn't expecting him to write again so soon." Her friends gave her odd glances and she reached out and took the offered letter from Antares who hooted and plucked some bacon off Ron's plate – Ron of course shouting in indignation at the lost of food. She rolled her eyes mentally, that boy needed to get a new love affair or he'd be a fat balding man by his early forties.

**Meredith,**

**We need to talk soon, in person. **

**MRT. **

That was all it said, and it was enough to worry her. He wanted to meet in person? It wasn't that she didn't trust him – not that it was a good thing for one to trust a Dark Lord – but it through her off. Why would he want to meet her at all? It wasn't like the dreamscapes were that far between – except for when Dumbledore had destroyed the ring since they both theorized that the month hiatus of dreams had been because of Tom getting another part of his soul and sanity back.

"What's it say?" Ginny asked, trying to peak at the letter. Meredith shook her head as she refolded it and stuck it into her robes pocket.

"Nothing, T-Marvin just wanted to see if we could meet up sometimes," she said shrugging. "I'll write back after try outs."

"Oh, well maybe we can meet him?" Hermione suggests and Meredith pales slightly.

"Maybe."

Hermione pressed her lips together, she looked like she wanted to say something but was distracted by a third owl landing in front of her carrying that day's copy of the Daily Prophet. She unfolded it hastily and scanned the front page.

"Anyone we know dead?" asked Ron in a determinedly casual voice; he posed the same question every time Hermione opened her paper.

"No, but there have been more Dementor attacks," said Hermione. "And an arrest."

"Who?" said Meredith, thinking of Bellatrix Lestrange. Oh, what she wouldn't give to see that bitch dead or kissed by a dementor at the very least.

"Stan Shunpike," said Hermione.

"What?" said Meredith, startled.

"'Stanley Shunpike, conductor on the popular Wizarding conveyance the Knight Bus, has been arrested on suspicion of Death Eater activity. Mr. Shunpike, 21, was taken into custody late last night after a raid on his Clapham home… '"

"Stan Shunpike, a Death Eater?" said Meredith, remembering the spotty youth she had first met three years before. "No way!"

"He might have been put under the Imperius Curse," said Ron reasonably. "You never can tell."

"It doesn't look like it," said Hermione, who was still reading. "It says here he was arrested after he was overheard talking about the Death Eaters' secret plans in a pub." She looked up with a troubled expression on her face. "If he was under the Imperius Curse, he'd hardly stand around gossiping about their plans, would he?"

"It sounds like he was trying to make out he knew more than he did," said Ron. "Isn't he the one who claimed he was going to become Minister of Magic when he was trying to chat up those veela?"

"Yeah, that's him," said Meredith. "I dunno what they're playing at, taking Stan seriously."

"Shacklebolt might not be given a choice but to take it seriously," said Hermione, frowning. "He probably wont be sentence if it turns out he was just talking big. Shacklebolt wouldn't let an innocent man go to Azkaban."

"True," Meredith said nodding. "Voldemort is being pretty quiet though isn't he?" Her friends sent her odd looks but shrugged. It wasn't a lie, this was one of the first attacks in a while besides Umbridge and Peter and it wasn't like people were sad over those two.

"People are terrified — you know the Patil twins' parents want them to go home? And Eloise Midgen has already been withdrawn. Her father picked her up last night. I also heard the Patil twins talking about their parents wanting to take them home to India to finish schooling," Ginny said.

"What!" said Ron, his eyes wide as he stared at Ginny in shock. "But Hogwarts is safer than their homes, bound to be! We've got Aurors, and all those extra protective spells, and we've got Dumbledore!"

"I don't think we've got him all the time," said Hermione very quietly, glancing toward the staff table over the top of the Prophet. "Haven't you noticed? His seat's been empty as often as Hagrid's this past week."

Meredith and Ron looked up at the staff table. The headmaster's chair was indeed empty. Now Meredith came to think of it, she had not seen Dumbledore since their private lesson a week ago. It hadn't really registered with her until now, but it wasn't like she cared much.

Well, maybe she cared a little but mostly she just wanted to be able to question him about Horcruxes – or maybe Slughorn would be the better option? It wasn't that she wanted to make any, she just wanted to know if Dumbledore had anymore of Tom's trinkets.

She didn't think she'd stop him from destroying them though, after all Tom seemed to be benefiting from having his soul slowly returned to full glory, but she feared what she'd do if Tom asked her to protect his soul cages. At this point she worried she'd do almost anything if he asked her too, almost anything at least.

Protecting his soul seemed innocent in the long run but she felt she knew he well enough and from what he'd said to her in their last dreamscape he seemed to regret making them. At least making more then one without proper research.

"I think he's left the school to do something with the Order," said Hermione in a low voice. "I mean… it's all looking serious, isn't it?"

Meredith sighed, that was true. Hannah Abbott's mother had been found dead because of the Dementor attack – and she couldn't image how the girl was doing after having to deal with the soulless husk of her mother – and hadn't been seen since a Professor had pulled her out of Herbology.

Five minutes latter they began to walk down to the Quidditch Pitch and as she'd suspected, the trials took most of the morning. Half of Gryffindor House seemed to have turned up, from first years who were nervously clutching a selection of the dreadful old school brooms, to seventh years who towered over the rest, looking coolly intimidating. The latter included a large, handsome, wiry-haired boy Meredith recognized immediately.

"Cormac," Meredith greeted, nodding and she blinked slightly as the Seventh year Prefect sent her one of his most dazzling smiles. The same smile that melted the hearts of many witches, including her in fourth year – though she had turned him down latter, something he had clearly not been used too. The truth of the matter was, Cormac reminded her eerily of Lockhart and she wasn't going to touch that with a fifty foot wand.

"Merry, you're looking beautiful today," he said confidently, stepping out of the crowd, many looking between the Girl-Who-Lived and Seventh Year boy. "I hope we get to talk more frequently, with you having courted Nott and our education we haven't been able to socialize."

Meredith stared at him for a moment, giving him a terse smile. Where the hell did he get these words? True, Tom talked like he was from the early nineteen hundreds most times but it sounded good on him since he really was from that time period. On Cormac it just made him sound constipated.

She shook her head, why did everything lead back to Tom?

"You didn't try out last year, did you?" asked Meredith, taking note of the breadth of Cormac and thinking that he would probably block all three goal hoops without even moving. She hadn't remembered him being so burly in fourth year.

"I was in the hospital wing when they held the trials," said McLaggen, with something of a swagger. "Ate a pound of doxy eggs for a bet."

"Right," said Meredith, having to wonder if those eggs had affected his mind or if it had always been on the daft side of the magical world. "Well…I look forward to seeing you play. If you wait over there…" She pointed over at the edge of the pitch, close to were Hermione was sitting.

She thought she saw annoyance flash across her old flames face but it was gone as fast as it appeared. She raised a single eyebrow at this, and snorted as the boy walked out of ear shot. If he thought she'd give him star treatment because of their one date and being in Slughorn's club, then he didn't know her very well at all.

Then she turned to the first years who'd tried to sneak their way onto the team. She recognized two of them easily enough, Briar Turpin and Marla Belmont.

"All first years know they can't try out till second year," she said giving them looks and ignoring their groans.

"I told you it wouldn't work Marla," Briar muttered to her but she could still hear the boy. She heard Marla mutter something back but wasn't interested in what as she continued talking.

"You may however stay and watch," she said, pointing to the stands. "But only the Gryffindor's."

There were a few groans before the first years departed and Meredith start with a basic test, asking all applicants for the team to divide into groups of ten and fly once around the pitch. This was a good decision: the first ten was made up of second years, and it could not have been plainer that they had hardly ever flown before.

Only one boy managed to remain airborne for more than a few seconds, and he was so surprised he promptly crashed into one of the goal posts. It looked rather painful and the fact two of his friends had to half carry half drag him off to the Hospital Wing made it clear it had been painful.

The second group was comprised of ten of the silliest girls Meredith had ever encountered, who, when she blew her whistle, merely fell about giggling and clutching one another. Romilda Vane was amongst them, and she had to wonder why the girl kept sending her looks she'd usually get from males. Homosexuality was not uncommon in the Magical World and she had nothing against it but she also knew Romilda had many boyfriends from gossip. She figured bisexuality wasn't as uncommon either then.

When she told them to leave the pitch, they did so quite cheerfully and went to sit in the stands to heckle everyone else. She almost felt bad for sentencing those in the stands to their presence. The third group had a pileup halfway around the pitch. Most of the fourth group had come without broomsticks. The fifth group were Hufflepuffs – something that had been a shock and she wondered how she hadn't noticed the bright yellow and black of their robes.

By this point her head was pounding so badly she had to wonder if her head would explode from this stress.

"If there's anyone else here who's not from Gryffindor house," hissed Meredith – a good impression of a cat and snake – who was starting to get seriously annoyed and about ready to take off heads. "leave now, please!

There was a pause, then a couple of little Ravenclaws went sprinting off the pitch, snorting with laughter. She threw her head back and sighed, looking to the sky as if to ask what she'd done to deserve this?

After two hours, many complaints, and several tantrums, one involving a crashed Comet Two Sixty and several broken teeth, Meredith had finally found three Chasers: Katie Bell, returned to the team after an excellent trial; a new find named Demelza Robins, who was particularly good at dodging Bludgers; and Ginny Weasley, who had out flown all the competition and scored seventeen goals to boot.

Pleased though she was with her choices, Meredith had also shouted himself hoarse at the many complainers and was now enduring a similar battle with the rejected Beaters.

"That's my final decision and if you don't get out of the way of the Keepers I'll hex you so bad your grandchildren will feel it," she bellowed, her face slightly red and a large vain was doing the cha-cha-cha on her forehead next to her irritated scar.

Neither of the chosen Beaters had the old brilliance of Fred and George, but she was still reasonably pleased with them: Jimmy Peakes, a short but broad-chested third-year boy who had managed to raise a lump the size of an egg on the back of Meredith's head with a ferociously hit Bludger, and Ritchie Coote, who looked weedy but aimed well. The only down point was Jimmy's inflicted wound on her head, what had once been a almost bearable headache was now to the point she'd take a Cruciatus over it any day.

They now joined Katie, Demelza, and Ginny in the stands to watch the selection of their last team member.

Meredith had deliberately left the trial of the Keepers until last, hoping for an emptier stadium and less pressure on all concerned. Unfortunately, however, all the rejected players and a number of people who had come down to watch after a lengthy breakfast had joined the crowd by now, so that it was larger than ever. As each Keeper flew up to the goal hoops, the crowd roared and jeered in equal measure. Meredith glanced over at Ron, who had always had a problem with nerves; Meredith had hoped that winning their final match last term might have cured it, but apparently not: Ron was a delicate shade of green.

None of the first five applicants saved more than two goals apiece. To Meredith's great disappointment, Cormac McLaggen saved four penalties out of five. On the last one, however, he shot off in the completely wrong direction; the crowd laughed and booed and McLaggen returned to the ground grinding his teeth.

Ron looked ready to pass out as he mounted his Cleansweep Eleven. "Good luck!" cried a voice from the stands. Meredith looked around, expecting to see Hermione, but it was Lavender Brown.

She would have quite liked to have hidden her face in her hands, as Lavender did a moment later, but thought that as the Captain she ought to show slightly more grit, and so turned to watch Ron do his trial. She could only pray this ended soon so she could go to Pomfrey, get a headache potion and get the hell back to the dorms, and sleep for an hour or two. If she didn't get out of here soon though she was going to stark raving mad.

Yet she need not have worried to much about time and Ron's performance: Ron saved one, two, three, four, five penalties in a row.

Delighted, and resisting joining in the cheers of the crowd with difficulty, Meredith turned to McLaggen to tell him that, most unfortunately – note the mental sarcasm - Ron had beaten him, only to find McLaggen's red face inches from her own. She stepped back hastily.

"His sister didn't really try," said McLaggen menacingly. There was a vein pulsing in his temple like the one Meredith had often ad-mired in Uncle Vernon's. And regretfully similar to the one on her own forehead.

"She gave him an easy save."

"Rubbish," said Meredith coldly. "That was the one he nearly missed."

McLaggen took a step nearer Meredith, who stood her ground this time.

"Give me another go, please Meredith." He tried to flatter her with another smile and she rolled her eyes.

"No," said Meredith. "You've had your go. You saved four. Ron saved five. Ron's Keeper, he won it fair and square. Get out of my way before I do something we'll both regret latter."

She saw as Cormac contented himself with an ugly grimace and stormed away, growling what sounded like threats to thin air. Meredith turned around to find his new team beaming at her.

"Well done," she croaked. "You flew really well —"

"You did brilliantly, Ron!"

This time it really was Hermione running toward them from the stands; Meredith saw Lavender walking off the pitch, arm in arm with Parvati, a rather grumpy expression on her face. Ron looked extremely pleased with himself and even taller than usual as he grinned at the team and at Hermione.

"Like I was saying," Meredith said as she turned from the hugging friends, and annoyed looking Lavender. "You did great, now I'll post practice latter today."

"What about now?" Jimmy Peaks asked, he seemed rather enthusiastic, reminding her a little of Oliver Wood. She sighed rubbing her temple and shook her head.

"Definitely not today, or now. If you'll excuse me I need to see a witch about a potion." With that she left for the infirmary.

"Hmm, your over working yourself dear," Madam Pomfrey fretted as she took her temperature. She should have realized coming here to ask for a potion would have meant getting a full checkup. Madam Pomfrey was a fury when it came to her Hospital Wing and those who entered, even for trivial things, never left without a once over.

"A headache, it's no surprise Ms. Potter," Poppy said shaking her head. "Your blood preasure is elevated, a slight fever. Nothing to really worry about except for that blood pressure."

Meredith sighed, rolling her eyes as she slumped her shoulders. Poppy shot her a look as she handed the redhead a vial of what she knew was a potion for her headache and possibly fever.

"Take this," Madam Promfrey said. "Get some rest and eat plenty today. Don't do too much, I haven't seen a case of stress like this in years."

"Of course Madam," she said as she took the potion and stood, walking out of the Hospital wing as soon as she could.

She didn't relax at first, after lunch she fixed the time of their first full practice for the following Thursday, and Meredith, Ron, and Hermione headed off toward Hagrid's. Meredith felt extremely hungry since she hadn't ate much at lunch despite Poppy's words; she hoped there would be some-thing to eat at Hagrid's.

The whole affair was dramatic to say the least. Hagrid had been upset they hadn't taken Care of Magical Creatures this year, but a reminder that she and Hermione had Prefect duties, tones of homework, and the fact she also had Quidditch to worry about seemed to calm him a little. This was a very busy year for all three of them. Turns out the biggest problem was Aragog, who had become ill during the summer and wasn't looking to good even now.

She couldn't say she would miss the giant spider if he passed but she felt bad for Hagrid. The trio left an hour latter, their spirits sort of in the middle – sure they had made amends with Hagrid but they'd also lost two hours of time.

"I'm starving," said Meredith, once the door had closed behind them and they were hurrying through the dark and deserted grounds; she had abandoned the rock cakes after an ominous cracking noise from one of her back teeth.

She could of hit herself, she knew what his cooking was like. Aunt Petunia had better cooking skills and that was saying a lot – she strongly believed Petunia lived off can food and salads during the school year and Vernon and Dudley off fast food.

"And I've got that detention with Snape tonight, I haven't got much time for dinner."

As they came into the castle they spotted Cormac McLaggen entering the Great Hall. It took him two attempts to get through the doors; he ricocheted off the frame on the first attempt. Ron merely guffawed gloatingly and strode off into the Hall after him, but Meredith caught Hermione's arm and held her back.

"What?" said Hermione defensively.

"If you ask me," said Meredith quietly, "McLaggen looks like he was Confunded this morning. And he was standing right in front of where you were sitting."

Hermione blushed.

"Oh, all right then, I did it," she whispered. "But you should have heard the way he was talking about Ron and Ginny! Anyway, he's got a nasty temper, you saw how he reacted when he didn't get in — you wouldn't have wanted someone like that on the team."

"No," said Meredith. "No, your right I didn't want to put up with him on the team. But wasn't that dishonest, Hermione? I mean, you're a prefect, so am I."

"Oh, be quiet," she snapped, as she smirked. "I know it wasn't right but he's not right for the team either. You'd understand if you knew what he was saying about Ginny and Ron, about you even." Meredith raised an eyebrow at her bushy haired friend but didn't say anything as Ron interrupted.

"What are you two doing?" demanded Ron, reappearing in the doorway to the Great Hall and looking suspicious.

"Nothing," said Meredith and Hermione together, and they hurried after Ron. The smell of roast beef made Meredith's stomach ache with hunger, but they had barely taken three steps toward the Gryffindor table when Professor Slughorn appeared in front of them, blocking their path.

"Meredith, Meredith, just the woman I was hoping to see!" he boomed genially, twiddling the ends of his walrus mustache and puffing out his enormous belly, "I was hoping to catch you before dinner! What do you say to a spot of supper tonight in my rooms instead? We're having a little party, just a few rising stars, I've got McLaggen coming and Zabini, the charming Melinda Bobbin — I don't know whether you know her? Her family owns a large chain of apothecaries — and, of course, I hope very much that Miss Granger will favor me by coming too."

Slughorn made Hermione a little bow as he finished speaking. It was as though Ron was not present; Slughorn did not so much as look at him.

"I can't come, Professor," said Meredith at once, sort of put out since it would have been a good chance to talk to Slughorn about...certain things. "I've got a detention with Professor Snape."

"Oh dear!" said Slughorn, his face falling comically. "Dear, dear, I was counting on you, Meredith! Well, now, I'll just have to have a word with Severus and explain the situation. I'm sure I'll be able to persuade him to postpone your detention. Yes, I'll see you both later!" He bustled away out of the Hall.

"He hasn't got a chance in Hades of persuading Snape," said Meredith, the moment Slughorn was out of earshot. "This detention's already been postponed once; Snape did it for Dumbledore, but he won't do it for anyone else."

"Oh, I wish you could come, I don't want to go on my own!" said Hermione anxiously; Meredith knew that she was thinking about McLaggen, who seemed to be flirty with almost everyone, even Hermione. She wondered if Hermione had fallen for the boys charms, not that she personally thought Cormac had many.

"I doubt you'll be alone, Ginny'll probably be invited," snapped Ron, who did not seem to have taken kindly to being ignored by Slughorn.

After dinner they made their way back to Gryffindor Tower. The common room was very crowded, as most people had finished dinner by now, but they managed to find a free table and sat down; Ron, who had been in a bad mood ever since the encounter with Slughorn, folded his arms and frowned at the ceiling. Hermione reached out for a copy of the Evening Prophet, which somebody had left abandoned on a chair.

"Anything new?" said Meredith.

"Not really…" Hermione had opened the newspaper and was scanning the inside pages. "Oh, look, your dad's in here, Ron — he's all right!" she added quickly, for Ron had looked around in alarm. "It just says he's been to visit the Malfoys' house. 'This second search of the Death Eaters residence does not seem to have yielded any results. Arthur Weasley of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects said that his team had been acting upon a confidential tip-off.'"

"Yeah, mine!" said Meredith. "Maybe Malfoy brought it with him? That thing he was trying to get fixed, not that it looked to important —"

"But how could he, Meredith?" said Hermione, putting down the newspaper with a surprised look. "We were all searched when we arrived, weren't we?"

"We were?" Meredith asked, surprised and Hermione laughed.

"Filch ran over all of us with Secrecy Sensors when we got into the entrance hall. Any Dark object would have been found, I know for a fact Crabbe had a shrunken head confiscated. So you see, Malfoy can't have brought in anything dangerous!"

Momentarily stymied, Meredith watched Ginny Weasley playing with Arnold the Pygmy Puff for a while before seeing a way around this objection.

"Someone's sent it to him by owl, then," she said. "His mother or someone."

"All the owls are being checked too," said Hermione. "Filch told us so when he was jabbing those Secrecy Sensors everywhere he could reach."

"They are?" Meredith asked, biting her lip. Did the sensor not pick up the books Tom sent her? Did it not pick up Dark Arts books? Either they didn't or Tom had charmed them to get passed any sensor. She'd have to ask and thank him for that.

"Are you two done talking?" Ron asked, clearly annoyed and Meredith sighed.

"I don't know why we started talking about Draco anyways. He is the least of my worries this year." Hermione and Ron raised an eyebrow at her words but she just waved them off as the new chaser approached them with sagged shoulders.

"Meredith?" said Demelza Robins. "I've got a message for you."

"From Professor Slughorn?" asked Meredith, sitting up hopefully. Truthfully she just wanted to sleep, and regretted not blowing off going to Hagrid's to rest like Madam Pomfrey had said.

"No… from Professor Snape," said Demelza. Meredith's heart sank. "He says you're to come to his office at half past eight tonight to do your detention— er— no matter how many party invitations you've received. And he wanted you to know you'll be sorting out rotten flobberworms from good ones, to use in Potions and — and he says there's no need to bring protective gloves."

"Right," said Meredith grimly. "Thanks a lot, Demelza."

As she stood to go she had to wonder if Tom would make an example out of Snape if she asked.

**xXx**

"_Little Redbird." Meredith spun around, smiling slightly, but hesitantly at the taller darker figure. He was looking at her strangely, like he couldn't decide on something. _

"_Tom," she said softly. "I thought you were ignoring me, that you wanted to talk in person?" _

_Tom smiled. "You know I can't control the dreams Merry. I still do want to meet in person, it doesn't feel exactly right to talk about something as sensitive as this over a dream." _

_She bit her lip, walking closer so that she stood in front of him. "Is this a bad idea? I've had days to think about this and I've realized – I'm screwed." Tears began to fill her eyes. "You're older then me, The Dark Lord. No matter how normal you may seem to me right now you're not exactly an upstanding citizen." _

"_I know," he said, sliding the back of his hand across her cheek a few times. "I'm an evil man Meredith. I've kill a lot of people, most I don't feel bad about. I was raised in a poor environment and maybe if things had been different I'd be just like you or any other normal person but I'm not. I don't know what I feel for you, but I know I do. Emotions are hard for me Merry, because I don't understand them properly most of the time, but if you're willing to work with me, maybe I can change." _

_Meredith snorted. "When you say change, you don't mean giving up world domination though do you?" _

"_No," he said, dropping his hand from where it had tangled into her ruby colored hair. "I've been like this too long for even my sanity to change me that much." She blinked back tears. _

"_You know I used to hate you, and I know why. You killed my parents, which is part of the reason I was left with the Dursleys but then I realize, you didn't hold a wand to his head and tell Dumbledore not to put me with a loving family." She sniffled. "You've tried to kill me on more then one occasion but I can understand that. You weren't exactly the sanest not to mention it's a war, I was in the way. You've sent me the visions which got Sirius killed but again you didn't force me to go and try and save him and you didn't tell Bellatrix to kill him, that's her fault." _

_Meredith stopped and looked at him. "I don't know if this is a good thing, my feelings for you, and how or why they got like this but I do know I'm tired of hating you. It's the most exhausting thing and I don't want to do it anymore." _

_Tom stared down at her, reaching up to wipe the stray tear away. Whatever she had done to his heart, as closed and cold as it had been, whatever resentment he'd had for her bewitching faded in that moment. _

"_So what do you want Merry?" She looked up at him. _

"_Can't you just be kissing me now?" she asked and it seemed she didn't need to ask twice since moments latter his lips met hers. _


	15. Daily Dose of Stupidity

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

******A/N 4/8/12: Here is the next chapter! I'm sorry it took so long but it was a especially long chapter and it gave me a bit of a trouble here and there so I rewrote a scene or two and added a scene or two. it was a bit of a witch to write, but here it is. Hopefully you all like it, I was a bit hesitant with the first two scenes and those were looked over so much just to make sure I was happy with it but in the end I knew a lot of people would like the scenes so they were kept with a few adds. Next chapter will probably have a long chunk of Tom's POV, and we get a bit of a Confession though probably not the one some would want - though the confession might be in a few chapter instead, it all depends. Such a question, to have confession next chapter or chapters after next...oh well we'll see. ******

******Also I noticed someone, I forgot who sorry, asked if I named Meredith on account that it was similar to Merope. I wish I could say it's as witty as that but truth be told I named her Meredith because I liked the name and it came from the book I was reading at the time - The Vampire Diaries. I didn't even realize it was similar until I got to the chapter Meredith sees Merope in the memory.  
><strong>****

******Anyways, remember to R&R!  
><strong>****

* * *

><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 14: Daily Dose of Stupidity. **

"_Wow, that was..." Meredith trailed off as she caught her breath. Tom's lips quirked up in a half smile and she blinked away the remaining wetness from tears she'd held back. "What...what does this mean for us?" _

_Tom shrugged, gently taking her hand and pulling her over to the couch. Sitting down he looked at the girl – woman in front of him. He was still unsure of how she could forget, or forgive him for everything he'd done too her. He didn't know how this had happened, just three or so months before he didn't feel anything for the girl except annoyance and curiosity. _

_Now his heart beat faster upon seeing her and he actually felt happy to see her. Once upon a time he'd love to see her fiery spirit broken at his feet but now he couldn't even bare the thought of her spirit being broken, that fire in her eyes. _

"_I believe your generation calls a couple, boyfriend and girlfriend." Meredith snorted in laughter, the words coming from Tom's mouth sounded so funny, probably because they were so alien on such a cultured man. "I don't know where this will take us Merry, but I wish to try. I have never had relationships like this so I may not be the best boyfriend in the world but if you'll give me the chance to be good I can try, for you." _

"_I think you had me before that rather poetic speech Tom," she said smiling and leaned over and covered his mouth with hers. This kiss was slightly more intense, but still slow and passionate. Pulling back Meredith took his hand back into her own. _

"_No one knows what the future has in store for them until they get there, and I'm not getting any younger so why not give it a try. I don't care what you've done in the past, I should and maybe the reason I don't is because after all this time I've finally lost what little common sense I had left. But I do know I l – like you a lot and I'm not willing to let you go until I have no choice." Meredith shrugged, her smile wider. "Or until you get tired of me and beat me off with a stick." _

_Tom laughed. "Sticks are for muggles Little Red," he said. Meredith raised an eyebrow. _

"_Hmm, does this make you the big bad wolf?" she asked and Tom smirked, pulling Meredith closer and leaning down, a wicked glint in his eyes. _

"_Little Redbird and the Big bad Wolf – it had a ring too it but I prefer snakes over mutts dear heart." With that Tom pecked her on the lips and Meredith smiled. _

"_I like snakes as well," she said before standing up, bringing Tom with her. _

"_I want to practice my animagus form before we both wake up," she said suddenly as she pulled him to an soft area on the floor where she quickly made to cushions appear – rather simple when this was a dreamscape and you only had to think of something to make it happen. "I want to be able to get this by October." _

_Tom nodded as he sat down across from her. "You might be able too, but it'll take practice. Having the skill of Occlumency you do may help as well. Now let's begin." _

_Meredith nodded and closed her eyes, centering herself before picturing her form in her minds eyes. The medium sized cat – which could possibly grow in the next year or two – with it's fur eerily close to the same color as her hair, though not as bright, dark or red, and two different colored eyes which matched her own. On it head above her right eye was a lightning bolt design which matched the scar on her forehead. _

_After a few moments she opened one of her eyes, having already been able to change her hands into paws, her ears were now two cat ears on-top of her head and she had a tail, cat eyes, and her teeth were more catlike – the canines pointed sharp fangs like a cat. "Tom." _

_Tom raised an eyebrow at the half transformed girl. "Yes, Merry?" _

"_You might want to make an example out of Snape – don't kill him unless you want to – but I think he needs a lesson in humility." Tom smirked, rather surprised at her request. He snorted. _

"_I'll see what I can do." _

**xXx**

The days blurred together after that night, but the one thing everyone noticed was the new life that seemed to have been breathed into Meredith. She was happier then many had remembered seeing her. No one bothered asking, they all figured she'd simply stopped having nightmares or had gotten over whatever it was that had bothered her before. The exception was her friends but she gave them all the same answers, she'd stopped having nightmares recently and had realized how lucky she really was.

Truth was she was happy about Tom, and every time they asked her why the sudden change, it caused her to rethink everything. She was happy about being with the one man the world hated more then anyone she could even think of. She was guilty because despite her friends meaning a lot to her, over the weeks, it began to not bother her at all.

Tom made her happier then anyone had since Sirius had been alive and she didn't want to loose that, but her friends. It was a double edge sword, on one hand her friends and on the other her... boyfriend – ?

It wasn't that she and Tom weren't together, it was simply the term boyfriend seemed so... inappropriate for the two of them. Lover sounded better, but didn't that mean they were intimate, which they were by no means at this point in time.

The dreamscapes came pretty much everyday, almost and they were the highlight of her nights. Soon though September had become October and things had begun to become routine and her stress levels had drastically gone down. Classes became expected and she found she actually enjoyed them – though she doubted she'd ever see Defense Against The Dark Arts in the same light again. Snape, while an okay Professor, sucked everything enjoyable out of the class like a Dementor-hybrid thing, leaving them with a bastardized class.

Over all October brought about a whole new significance in Meredith's life.

**xXx**

"_Do you have plans this Saturday Merry?" Tom asked, running his hand through Meredith's hair. _

_They sat in the living area of the Dreamscape's Riddle Manor, looking into the fire from the comfy old fashioned couch. Meredith was leaned up against his side, her legs tucked under her and too the side. After nearly four weeks of there relationship's development they had gotten to the point were this amount of closeness was not strange or unwanted by Tom or Meredith. _

_Neither had ever had lasting relationships, so the whole cuddling and romance areas were skills both were lacking in – though you'd never be able to guess with Tom's charm and abilities to flirt. Meredith had it easier, she at least understood what she was feeling well enough to know she wanted to sit close to Tom, hold his hand, and cuddle. _

_The last had been something the Dark Lord had never shared with anyone, even his past flings were never allowed to cuddle – as Tom found Meredith's generation prone to calling it these days – they weren't even allowed to sleep, they were to get their clothes and get out. Meredith was different though, she wasn't a fling, she was special. _

_It had taken Meredith two weeks to help Tom be comfortable with such touches and time spent doing nothing but being in each others arms. Despite being who he was Tom had taken to it rather quickly, and a large part of their time was spent in each others arms in one way or another and getting to know each other even more. _

_Meredith craned her neck to look up at her beau. "Not exactly, we have a Hogsmeade day and I planed to go to Gringotts that day and look into my finances and family tittles." _

"_Sounds like a full day," he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice and in his eyes. It would take someone who knew the man like her to see it though, otherwise he seemed rather unimpressed and passive. _

"_Don't pout Tom, it unbecoming of a man your age," she teased, and Tom raised an eyebrow at her before chuckling. _

"_It doesn't seem to bother you my little Redbird," he whispered, leaning down and Meredith laughed as she leaned up to meet him half-way. _

_Their lips met and Meredith let a sigh of relief escape her as the kiss deepened, her hands moving up the back of his neck to intertwine in silky hair. She groaned as Tom gripped the hair on the back of her head, pulling it slightly as she trailed her free hand up his chest. Tom had a rough side, and while it had surprised her slightly the first time he'd pulled her hair or bit her lip, she found she didn't mind and rather enjoyed it._

"_Darn your sinister attraction," she said smiling as they broke apart to breathe, something they sadly still had to do. _

_Tom smirked, smoothing her hair back with his hand and pecking her quickly on the lips. This turned into multiple pecks and before either knew it it was a full out make out session with Meredith on his lap, her knees on either side of him. _

"_We..." Tom trailed off as his mouth was covered again by Meredith's, his hand sliding up the thin royal purple tank top she wore. "... have to stop." _

_Meredith raised up, placing her weight firmly in his lap only to jump as something she wasn't expecting pressed against her. Tom laughed. _

"_Did I do that?" Meredith asked, smiling coyly as she let herself sit back down, this time not caught by surprise. Tom groaned. _

"_Why do we have to stop though?" Meredith asked, leaning closer and letting her breath tickle his ear. "I was just beginning to have fun." _

"_Little minx," Tom said as he stood, making Meredith yelp and wrap her legs around his waist before throwing her arms around his neck to keep from falling. He didn't walk very far, just to a desk against the wall and placed her on the mahogany finished wood. She let her legs fall from his waist, and the backs of her knees hit the desk drawers and dangled, Tom standing in between her legs. _

"_I'm no saint Meredith, I'm far from it but I have enough moral or maybe it's simply my feelings for you that I'm not going to make your first time in a dream," Tom said running his hand down her face. He didn't know exactly what Meredith had done to him but he found it extremely hard these days to keep his hands to himself. Meredith smiled, her eyes on the verge of – god forbid – twinkling. _

"_I don't know, that sounds pretty saint like to me." Meredith smiled and leaned up, leaving a light kiss on his lips. _

"_Have fun in Hogsmeade Merry, but remember to be out by five," Tom said as he felt the dreamscape coming to end. Before it could he gave her one last kiss and they faded back to reality. _

**xXx**

"You excited about today?" Hermione asked as Meredith finished brushing her teeth. Meredith tossed long hair over her shoulder and straightened her locket before glancing over at the older girl.

"Sort of," she replied before turning completely to face her. "Hermione, I need you to cover for me today in the village."

Hermione furrows her brow. "What do you mean?"

"I have some business at Gringotts, about my inheritance." She shakes her head. "I come of age next year and gain my tittles, as the last heir of the Potters and Blacks. I just want to make sure everything is in order." Hermione nods, but still looked a bit hesitant about the whole ordeal.

"Oh, I keep forgetting your family were Purebloods," she said after a moment and Meredith thought she heard a hint of envy in Hermione's voice.

"Just my father's family," Meredith reminded as she dusted her blue top and jeans off. Her cloak – velvety green with ivy designs in gold – hung off the chair at her desk in the dorm. Hermione was dressed just as casually, but in a more muggle based light purple top, and jeans. Both wore similar boots good for navigating through snow.

"Why not ask Ron?" Meredith sighed as they left the bathroom and returned to their dorm. She threw on her cloak, clasping the gold leaf-like clasp and grabbed a purple velvet pouch, which she'd gotten years ago to carry around her money and other small thing, from her trunk.

"You know how he gets when faced with his family wealth, or lack there of. I don't like waving the fact I'm the heir to two very wealthy families in his face." Hermione sighed. She understood and though Ron had matured in the last year his family lack of money was still a sore spot.

"Understandable," she replied and grabbed her coat, gloves, purse and cloak. As the two made their way down the stares to meet with Ron Meredith got lost in her own thoughts. One of the largest questions being, where was Dumbledore? In the last few weeks it had been like he was playing a game of 'now you see me, now you don't' only most of the time no one saw him.

She'd brought it up to Tom once or twice, he had wanted her to figure out if Dumbledore had anymore of his Horcruxes and if he did...well at first she'd been afraid he'd ask her to protect them but all he had said was to bring them to him. It seemed he had realized his error and had found two ways to put his soul back together, other then simply destroying the containers, and was going to go ahead with this leaving only Nagini as a Horcrux.

His reasons for wanting a Horcrux wasn't something she felt she couldn't ignore. He had lived half his life knowing he couldn't die and actually stay dead with the existence of his Horcruxes. His fear of death made him irrational at times and the security blanket of having Nagini around as his Horcrux made him that much more saner – who was she to deny him that?

While a Horcrux wasn't something she would want, she understood the benefits it brought to him. Another problem was the lessons, besides the one a month ago she'd not been called back for another and it slightly worried her. Did Dumbledore figure something out about her view on the war, did he know of Tom? It wasn't that she missed the lessons that much, or felt upset she wasn't getting them, it was more to do with her wish to see if he had more memories for her to view.

Then there was today's trip to Hogsmeade. She had wondered if they'd be allowed to go, with all the attacks in the past and the fact Voldemort truly was back. She had been a little surprised to know they were, and bit disappointed that the school was so lax with safety to allow it at this time. Though that might be because she had inside information on when and where most attacks were going to be before they happened.

Meredith had also finished copying over and researching everything written by the Half-Blood Prince, however, she found that the Half-Blood Princes copy of Advanced Potion-Making hardly qualified as a textbook – the original copy had, as she'd told Hermione, met an unfortunate fate.

The more Meredith pored over the book as she had studied it, the more she realized how much was in there, not only the handy hints and shortcuts on potions that was earning her such a glowing reputation with Slughorn, but also the imaginative little jinxes and hexes scribbled in the margins, which Meredith was sure, judging by the crossings-out and revisions, that the Prince had invented himself.

Meredith had already attempted a few of the Prince's self-invented spells. There had been a hex that caused toenails to grow alarmingly fast (she had tried this on Crabbe in the corridor, with very entertaining results); a jinx that glued the tongue to the roof of the mouth (which she had twice used, to general applause, on an unsuspecting Argus Filch); and, perhaps most useful of all, Muffliato, a spell that filled the ears of anyone nearby with an unidentifiable buzzing, so that lengthy conversations could be held in class without being overheard.

The only person who did not find these charms amusing was Hermione, who maintained a rigidly disapproving expression throughout Meredith's discussion about her finds and refused to talk at all if Meredith had used the Muffliato spell on anyone in the vicinity. Meredith had been expecting this reaction from her friend, who she had calmed down by reminding said girl of an certain Confundus used illegally on a student who was trying out for a school sport.

Another spell she had found intriguing was one of the more useful in her minds.

Levicorpus (nvbl)

She'd found the spell one late night in the Chamber and it had taken her an embarrassingly long time to figure out what the letters in brackets meant. Finally Meredith had figured the Nvbl had to mean "nonverbal." Meredith rather doubted she would be able to bring off this particular spell at first; she was still having difficulty with nonverbal spells, something Snape had been quick to comment on in every D.A.D.A class.

Though he'd been a bit weary for a while and she was sure the slight shacking the week after she'd become involved with Tom was post-cruciatus exposure. On the other hand, the Prince had proved a much more effective teacher than Snape so far.

She had shrugged and pointing her wand at nothing in particular, she had gaven it an upward flick and said Levicorpus! inside her head.

"Aaaaaaaargh!"

There was a flash of light and the room was full of hisses: Meredith sent Advanced Potion-Making flying in panic as she stared at where Salazar was now awake in his portrait; Salazar was dangling upside down in midair as though an invisible hook had hoisted him up by the ankle, or frame.

"Sorry!" yelled Meredith, as Salazar glared and sent off glares to his descendant. "Hang on — I'll let you down —"

_::Foolish girl, could have maimed me!::_ Meredith snorted, how on earth he came up with these things was beyond her. He was a portrait, how could she possibly maim him?

She groped for her potions book and riffled through it in a panic, trying to find the right page; at last she found it and deciphered the cramped word underneath the spell – why she hadn't researched the spells before using them was beyond her, she blamed lack of sleep and was sticking to that story: Praying that this was the counter-jinx, Meredith thought Liberacorpus! with all her might. There was another flash of light, and Salazar fell in a heap onto the floor, his golden frame scuffing against the floor and he fell face first.

"Sorry," repeated Meredith weakly, as she stood and walked over and picked the heavy portrait up right before pointing her wand at it.

"Ho oh, what do you think you're doing with ye wand! Haven't thou done enough scathe?"

"First of all Sally," Meredith began coolly yet amused. "Do you want to be put back on the wall or not? I'm not sure your frame could withstand being on the floor like that without rotting."

It was a exaggeration of course but it was enough for Salazar's eyes to widen and then narrow, his lips pursed.

"If there were any doubts about ye relation to mine Serenity they be gone now," Salazar said in broken modern English. Meredith grinned and waved her wand, placing Salazar back in his place and making sure his frame wasn't bent or scarred.

"Tomorrow," said Ron in a muffled voice, "I'd rather Neville set the alarm clock."

Meredith was shaken by from her thoughts by these words and she looked over to see Ron moving away from Seamus and Dean, his words obviously meant for them.

"Hey, nice morning huh?" Ron greeted as he pulled on his gloves and Meredith smiled slightly as she greeted her friend with Hermione.

"What were you talking about before, with Seamus and Dean?" Hermione asked as they began the walk down to breakfast.

"… and then there was another flash, of light and I landed on the bed again!" Ron grinned, helping himself to sausages.

"So it worked?" Meredith asked. "For you I mean. Though I don't remember telling you to tell the whole of the sixth year boys." Ron blushed.

"I didn't, just Neville and he decided to practice and well..." Meredith laughed. Hermione had not cracked a smile during this anecdote, and now turned an expression of wintry disapproval upon Meredith.

"Was this spell, by any chance, another one from that potion book of yours?" she asked. Meredith frowned at her and then sighed.

"Always jump to the worst conclusion, don't you?"

"Was it?" Hermione pressed.

"Well if you must know Mione… yeah, it was, but so what?"

"So you just decided to try out an unknown, handwritten incantation and see what would happen? Then spread it around to others?"

"Why does it matter if it's handwritten?" said Meredith, preferring not to answer the rest of the question.

"Because it's probably not Ministry of Magic approved," said Hermione. "And also," she added, as Meredith and Ron rolled their eyes, "because I'm starting to think this Prince character was a bit dodgy."

Both Meredith and Ron shouted her down at once.

"Oh please, half the magic in existence can be described as dodgy, you don't see everyone using the levitation charm to drop people off astronomy towers or cliffs though do you?" Meredith countered and Hermione blushed slightly, unwilling to admit her friend had a good point.

"Exactly! It was a laugh!" said Ron, upending a ketchup bottle over his sausages. "Just a laugh, Hermione, that's all!"

"Dangling people upside down by the ankle?" said Hermione. "Who puts their time and energy into making up spells like that?"

"Fred and George," said Ron, shrugging, "it's their kind of thing. And, er —"

"My dad," said Meredith. She had only just remembered, the conversation bringing the Pensieve memory she'd seen in Snape's Pensieve to the forefront of her mind.

"What?" said Ron and Hermione together.

"My dad used this spell," said Meredith. "I — Remus told me once."

This last part was not true; though they hadn't any idea Meredith had seen her father use the spell on Snape, she had never told Ron and Hermione about that particular excursion into the Pensieve. Now, however, a wonderful possibility occurred to him. Could the Half-Blood Prince possibly be —? But the thought was quickly shot down, it couldn't be her dad, her father was from a Pureblooded family and he had no reason to nickname himself the Half-Blood Prince. Not to mention she knew her father had been almost as bad as Neville in Potions.

"Maybe your dad did use it, Meredith," said Hermione, "but he's not the only one. We've seen a whole bunch of people use it, in case you've forgotten. Dangling people in the air. Making them float along, asleep, helpless."

Meredith stared at her. With a sinking feeling, she too remembered the behavior of the Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup. But that hadn't even looked like the same spell, not really anyways. Ron came to her aid though before she could answer.

"That was different," he said robustly. "They were abusing it. Meredith and her dad were just having a laugh. You don't like the Prince, Hermione," he added, pointing a sausage at her sternly, "because he and Meredith are better than you at Potions —"

"It's got nothing to do with that!" said Hermione, her cheeks reddening to the point of combustion it seemed. "I just think it's very irresponsible to start performing spells when you don't even know what they're for, and stop talking about 'the Prince' as if it's his title, I bet it's just a stupid nickname, and it doesn't seem as though he was a very nice person to me!"

"I don't see where you get that from," said Meredith heatedly. "If he'd been a budding Death Eater he wouldn't have been boasting about being a 'half-blood,' would he?"

"The Death Eaters can't all be pure-blood, there aren't enough pure-blood wizards left," said Hermione stubbornly and Meredith had to agree. "I expect most of them are half-bloods pretending to be pure. It's only Muggle-Borns they hate, they'd be quite happy to let you and Ron join up."

"There is no way they'd let me be a Death Eater!" said Ron indignantly, a bit of sausage flying off the fork he was now brandishing at Hermione and hitting Ernie Macmillan on the head. "My whole family are blood traitors! That's as bad as Muggle-Borns to Death Eaters! We'd be slaughtered like pigs for even suggesting it."

"And they'd love to have me," said Meredith sarcastically, though she knew Tom would probably punish any of them horrendously if they so much as stunned her. "We'd be best pals if they didn't keep trying to do me in. Besides, I'm pretty sure I've burned that bridge when I turned Voldemort down in my first and fourth years."

The last part wasn't exactly true, if she wanted to be a Death Eater all she had to do was ask Tom but she also knew he'd probably not allow it since it was sort of degrading for the girlfriend of the Dark Lord – or would concubine sound better, she still thought lover sounded best.

This made Ron laugh almost nervously since neither had known she'd been offered a place by Voldemort himself; even Hermione gave a grudging smile, and a distraction arrived in the shape of Ginny, who smiled at the trio warmly.

"Hey, Meredith, I'm supposed to give you this." It was a scroll of parchment with Meredith's name written upon it in familiar thin, slanting writing.

"Thanks, Ginny… It's Dumbledore's next lesson!" Meredith exclaimed more shocked then enjoyed and began pulling open the parchment and quickly reading its contents.

"Monday evening!" She felt suddenly light and happy, she hadn't been able to corner Slughorn and ask him anything and maybe this lesson he'd mention Horcruxes without her having to mention them and make him suspicious. Tom had said it best after all, she couldn't have him keeping an annoyingly close watch on her.

"Want to join us in Hogsmeade, Ginny?" she asked, as she looked back at the shorter redhead – a feat in itself.

"I'm going with Dean — might see you there though," she replied, waving at them as she left.

Filch was standing at the oak front doors as usual, checking off the names of people who had permission to go into Hogsmeade. The process took even longer than normal as Filch was triple-checking everybody with his Secrecy Sensor.

"What does it matter if we're smuggling Dark stuff OUT?" demanded Ron, eying the long thin Secrecy Sensor with apprehension. "Surely you ought to be checking what we bring back IN?"

His cheek earned him a few extra jabs with the Sensor, and he was still wincing as they stepped out into the wind, snow and sleet.

The walk into Hogsmeade was not enjoyable. Meredith wrapped her scarf over his lower face; the exposed part soon felt both raw and numb. The road to the village was full of students bent double against the bitter wind. More than once Meredith wondered whether they might not have had a better time in the warm common room, and when they finally reached Hogsmeade and saw that Zonko's Joke Shop had been boarded up, Meredith took it as confirmation that this trip was not destined to be fun for those who didn't have another destination in mind.

Ron pointed, with a thickly gloved hand, toward Honeydukes, which was mercifully open, and Meredith and Hermione staggered in his wake into the crowded shop.

"Thank God," shivered Ron as they were enveloped by warm, toffee-scented air. "Let's stay here all afternoon."

"Meredith, m'girl!" said a booming voice from behind them.

"Oh Merlin," muttered Meredith. The three of them turned to see Professor Slughorn, who was wearing an enormous furry hat and an overcoat with matching fur collar, clutching a large bag of crystallized pineapple, and occupying at least a quarter of the shop.

"Meredith, that's three of my little suppers you've missed now!" said Slughorn, though he was smiling the whole time despite seeming disappointed. "It won't do, m'girl, I'm determined to have you! Miss Granger loves them, don't you?"

"Yes," said Hermione helplessly, "they're really —"

"So why don't you come along, Meredith?" demanded Slughorn.

"Well, I've had Quidditch practice, Professor," said Meredith, and this was partially true. "I've been so busy, I'm honestly surprised Hermione had made it to them at all. I've been meaning to though, but I've just had the rottenest luck."

It was probably painfully obvious to her friends she was sucking up, and putting it on a bit thick. Slughorn, if he noticed, didn't seem to mind and laughed joyfully.

"Well, I certainly expect you to win your first match after all the hard work! Oh, a your grades are bound to be marvelous!" said Slughorn. "But a little recreation never hurt any body. Now, how about Monday night, you can't possibly want to practice in this weather…"

Meredith winced, that would have been a good time to have asked Slughorn the questions she wished but it seemed her luck really was against her at the moment. "I can't, Professor, I've got — er — an appointment with Professor Dumbledore that evening."

"Unlucky again!" cried Slughorn dramatically. "Ah, well… you can't evade me forever, Meredith!"

"Of course not, what about Tuesday Professor? I mean, if you don't have plans already?" Hermione sent her a stunned and almost pleading look but she ignored it and Slughorn shook gleeful.

"Ah, brilliant idea my dear, brilliant! Two dinners in two days is a bit strange but I'll make it happen." He nodded. "I'll see you and Ms. Granger then. Have a grand day in Hogsmeade."

And with a regal wave, he waddled out of the shop, taking as little notice of Ron as though he had been a display of Cockroach Clusters.

"I can't believe you've wriggled out of another one, and then placed yourself in another and me as well!" said Hermione, shaking her head. "They're not that bad, you know… They're even quite fun sometimes…" But then she caught sight of Ron's expression. "Oh, look — they've got deluxe sugar quills — those would last hours!"

Glad that Hermione had changed the subject, Meredith showed much more interest in the new extra-large sugar quills than she would normally have done since she was never fond of the sugary candy, but Ron continued to look moody and merely shrugged when Hermione asked him where he wanted to go next.

In the end Meredith left with a much smaller bag of crystallized pineapple – to use to help get her even further in Slughorn's good graces since it seemed he was fond of the sweet – a hundred box of chocolate frogs to keep her happy for the rest of the year, a few cauldron cakes, ice mice, and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. It cost her over twenty galleons, but it was well worth it.

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks," said Meredith as they left, giving Hermione a look to let her know it was time for her to make her way to Diagon before it got to late. "It'll be warm."

They bundled their scarves back over their faces and left the sweetshop. The bitter wind was like knives on their faces after the sugary warmth of Honeydukes. They practically ran to the Thee Broomsticks and once inside found a table to themselves. The warmth was much appreciated and felt refreshing apposed to the harsh cold outside.

"Thank Merlin it's warm in here," Ron said as they sat down and Meredith huffed as he picked up her bag from Honeydukes and pulled out a chocolate frog. Ron grinned at her sheepishly.

"You don't mind do you?" he asked holding out the chocolate frog and she shook her head.

"Go ahead, I don't mind. I got ninety-nine more anyways." Ron chuckled and she looked at Hermione as the redheaded boy dug into the chocolate. Hermione turned to Ron.

"Ron, why don't you go get us some Butterbears," Hermione suggested and Meredith nodded fishing out a few galleons.

"Yeah, here," she says pushing the gold towards the flushed and hesitant boy. "It's not charity Ron, it's yours. You're family, I don't give pity money to anyone." Ron nodded.

"Thanks Mer," he said and stood, taking the money with him. Meredith turned to Hermione once he was out of earshot.

"I'll see you as soon as I can, promise," Meredith said as she lifted her hood and made a b-line for the floor network inside the shop. Hermione nodded as she kept one eye on the now disappearing Girl-Who-Lived and the other on Ron who was now returning from buying the Butterbears.

"Where Mer go?" Ron asked, sitting three Butterbears down.

"She..." Hermione trailed off before sighing. "I'm a really bad liar. She had too go to Gringotts in order to check her inheritance." Ron gave her a look and then chuckled humorlessly.

"Is that all?" he asked and Hermione stared at him wide eyed.

**xXx**

It didn't take her very long to get out of the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley, thankfully Tom the bar keeper didn't recognize her or didn't think it strange she would be there while school was in term. The fact her hood was up may have helped with her getting out of the crowded pub and into the Alley. She noticed the streets were not as crowded as she would expect, just like during the summer the war was taking a toll on businesses. Some were boarded up similar to Zonko's.

"Madam," a passing wizard said, taking his hat off to her. She raised an eyebrow but ignored it. It seemed despite her rather muggle influenced jeans the man still thought of her high prestige and technically she was but being the head of two Pureblooded families she was still just a Half-Blood.

Without even glancing at the poem on the door Meredith entered Gringotts, and approached the head goblin in front of her with her head held high but not overly high. Tom had told her about the Goblin's and how they took to much confidence and arrogance as a threats when used by magic users. They also saw fear as a weakness with the wizards and witches so she knew not to act weak either.

"Evening, I am hear to talk to those in charge of the Potter and Black Inheritance." The older goblin looked up from his papers and narrowed his eyes down at her, and she reached up and removed her hood. She was happy to see he did not instantly glance at her scar, or act all shocked and honored to meet her. The last thing she wanted was a scene.

"I see, do you have proof of being Ms. Potter then?" he asked, showing his teeth and she raised an eyebrow. She took out her key and held it out to him.

"Besides my key, I'm afraid I don't have anything other then my scar." the Goblin grinned almost in a bloodthirsty manner and she watched as he took a bit into the golden key, before removing it from his mouth and handing it back to her.

"The key is real but I am afraid we will need more proof. Head Goblin of the Potter and Black finances will see you for the inheritance test," he said stepping down from his desk and coming around to stand in front of her. "Are you sure you wish to proceed?"

"I'm sure, but what happens if I am not who I say I am?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her. The goblin grinned again, his eyes holding an eery light in them.

"Well, if you are not Meredith Lily Potter then you won't have to worry about inheritances anytime soon," he said and turned. "Follow me to Goblin Rawhide."

"You said he was the head Goblin for the Potter and Black families, but why do they have the same goblin?" she asked as they walked to an area of the bank she'd never been before. The Goblin made a noise almost like a growl before answering.

"When Sirius Black died it was in his will that Goblin Rawhide take over for his old families finance handler." Meredith nodded and finally they came to a door of steel and on it was a platinum plat with a name, probably in goblin language but she could make out the word, Rawhide – so this must be his office.

"Inside," he said and she entered, the goblin behind her. The goblin behind the desk was a bit older, and looked to have a kinder disposition but that was probably because he was someone who was used to dealing with humans on a regular basis. "Head Goblin Rawhide, this woman claims to be Meredith Potter and wishes to over see her inheritance."

The goblin behind the desk looked at her appraising before nodding. "I will take it from here Breakjaw, return to your post if you'll please." The other goblin, Breakjaw, nodded and left, shutting the door behind him.

"Please, have a seat. Before we begin to discus your inheritance I believe it imperative we make sure you are indeed who you claim," Rawhide began, motioning to the chair in front of his desk. Meredith sat down, surprised that the metal chair was more comfortable then she'd expected.

"How? I understand the need for it, though I wasn't aware that many people tried to pretend they were other people in order to steal inheritances." Rawhide grinned savagely as he pulled a small ceremonial bowl out of his desk along with a matching knife with rubies along the hilt.

"You'd be surprised what some Half-Bloods with family ties to Purebloods will do, even some Muggle-Borns who have thought they deserved more then they were worth. The test is a simple inheritance test, but be warned if you are not who you say the consequences..." Rawhide grinned in the same bloodthirsty manner as Breakjaw had before. "...well, they'll be combustible to say they least."

Meredith stared at the Goblin, he couldn't really be hinting at...she gulped, that had to be messy. Shaking her head she nodded. "What do I do?"

"Hold out your wand hand," he said and she did as he asked, taking off the gloves before doing so though. The goblin's ruff clawed hand grabbed her hand and she bit her lip as Rawhide leveled the athame and drew down the palm of her hand sharply, and rather deeply. She blinked as the ruby blood bubbled to the top almost immediately and began to run down her hand and through her fingers and into the bowl.

"Squeeze your hand over the bowl please, we need a reasonable amount," he said and she made a fist, wincing as the cut flexed with her hand and blood came faster. Soon the bow had a small pool of blood, maybe an inch or two deep and Rawhide removed the bowl and pulled out a crystal vile.

"Hold out you hand please." She held out her hand, palm open and she watched as he unstopped the vile and a small dagger like top came out of it, placing it over her bleeding hand she felt two drops of a cool liquid hit it before the blood returned to her hand and the wound healed over.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Goblin secret, if we told you, we'd have to kill you," Rawhide said grinning. "But who knows, we may yet get to kill you." Meredith watched as he added some of the liquid to the blood and dipped the athame in the bowl.

"Now, let's continue," he said and pulled out a long parchment. He put the tip of the dagger to the parchment and she watched as the parchment acted sort of like a sponge, soaking the blood in and glowing a light blue/purple color. Rawhide smiled.

"Well, it seems you are who you say you are Ms. Potter. Now you can have a look at this, it list the families you are related too and eligible to inherit." Meredith raised an eyebrow.

"Families?" she asked taking the now calm parchment. "I thought I was only inheriting the Potter and Black fortunes."

"Yes, well most the time that is the case when heirs come in to over see their inheritance or claim them but sometimes we get surprises. Not to mention most like to see what family ties they can claim." Meredith nodded and looked over the paper.

**MEREDITH LILY POTTER**

**JULY 31ST, 1980**

**BORN TO LILY CAMELLIA EVANS POTTER & JAMES PEGASUS POTTER. **

**HEIR TO THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF POTTER – PATERNAL **

**HEIR TO THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF PEVERELL – PATERNAL **

**HEIR TO THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK – PATERNAL AND THROUGH GODFATHER'S WILL DECREMENT. **

**HEIR TO THE NOBLE HOUSE OF GLASS – MATERNAL **

**OTHER RELATIONS - **

**SLYTHERIN – PATERNAL & MATERNAL (DISTNATLY)**

Meredith raised an eyebrow. "Maternal? But my mother was a Muggle-Born." Rawhide shrugged.

"Not according to this paper she wasn't. Lily Camellia Evans was a Half-Blood, and last Heir to the Glass family. Her mother was Meredith Glass, a Pureblooded Squib whose parents – Jacqueline and Henry Glass had in secret and gave to a Muggle orphanage." Rawhide looked up at her. "Unfortunately that was the only child they had before their death and squibs can't inherit so your grandmother was never contacted to come in. Now she married a muggle, who incidentally had ties to the Gaunt family through a squib who ran away before he could be killed centuries ago. Either way your mother would have been a Half-Blood, but it was most likely the fact her father, Marius, had magical blood that she was able to have a magical child – your mother."

"So, Squibs can have magical children?" she asked amazed and Rawhide rolled his eyes.

"It is indeed very rare and that's mostly because other magic users won't marry a squib and two squibs can not produce a magical child, though their child could. There have been a few cases, your mother was one of the first in one hundred years born to a squib."

"Did she know?" Rawhide nodded.

"Yes, she was aware, we contacted her on her seventeenth birthday. Of course all she could do was receive the tittle of Lady Glass if she accepted since the Glass family was not the most wealthy of families, having not reached Ancient status yet. Your mother decided not to become the Head of House, I think she was dating your father at the time." Rawhide clasped his hands in front of him.

"She did however invest some of her own money into the already near dry family vault and put some stock into a small shop that was once in Diagon Alley. Unfortunately the family which owned it died in 1986 and the flow of money has stopped. Here is how the account stands now."

**THE NOBLE HOUSE OF GLASS**

**Family Vault – 313**

**Total Balance: 3,000 galleons, 2,000 Gems. **

**Residences : Glass Manor – Destroyed in War against Grindelwald. **

**Investments: Saunders' Dress Robes for Every Occasion – Out of Business. **

"That's rather, unexpected." Meredith placed the paper down and Rawhide nodded.

"Yes, it is one of the rather poorer vaults in the bank. A shame, when the family was around they were on their way to being an Ancient house and quite wealthy. The other houses you are related to are much more influential." Rawhide handed her three more sheets and she looked them over.

**THE NOBLE AND ANCIENT HOUSE OF POTTER**

**Vault 666 – Family Vault**

**Vault 613 – James Potter's personal Vault**

**Vault 521 – Lily Camellia Potter's personal Vault**

**Vault 687 – Meredith Potter's Trust Vault**

**Total Balance: 300,100,000 Galleons, 9,000 Gems, 1,000 Books. **

**Residences: Potter Manor**

**Marauders Lodge**

**Godric's Hollow, Potter Cottage – Destroyed. **

**Safe house; Unplottable – Destroyed in the war against Grindelwald. **

**Investments: Weasley Wizard Wheezes – Silent Partner. **

**Zonko's – Co-Owner (Out of Business)**

**1 Wizengamot Seat. **

**One of Seven Founding Families of the Ministry of Magic. **

"What does that mean?" Meredith asked. "One of the Founding Families?"

Rawhide raised an eyebrow, or whatever it was Goblins had. "You didn't think the Ministry just popped up over night did you? No, a century or two after after Hogwarts was founded seven families came together to create the Ministry. The seven families were the Potters, Blacks, Peverells, Bones, Longbottoms, Gaunts, and Zabini's." Meredith nodded before moving on to the next paper.

**THE NOBLE AND ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK**

**Vault 713 – Family Vault**

**Vault 399 – Regulus Black's Personal Vault. **

**Vault 410 – Sirius Black's Personal Vault. **

**Total Balance: 666,000,000 Galleons, 12,000 Gems, 1,400 Books.**

**Residences: Grimmauld Place, Unplottable**

**Reaper Cottage**

**Black Manor**

**Hyperion Lodge**

**London Flat, Padfoot's Pad **

**Investments: Borgin and Burks**

**Harpy Tavern**

**1 Wizengamot Seat. **

**One of Seven Founding Families of the Ministry of Magic. **

The last was a family she recognized, but was shocked to see. She head realized before she had ties to Tom through Serenity Slytherin but hadn't realized until now that centuries ago her family and it seemed her mother's own father had married into the Gaunt family as well. So why was so she surprised to see she was related to the Peverell family as well?

**THE NOBLE AND ANCIENT HOUSE OF PEVERELL.**

**Vault 1401 – Family Vault. **

**Total Balance: 11,000 Galleons, 2100 Gems, 1200 Books. **

**Residences: Peverell Manor**

**Hollow Cottage**

**Investments: Dushku's Exotic Wands – Knockturn Alley. **

"There is a wand shop in Knockturn Alley?" she asked and Rawhide nodded.

"Yes, they've been around since 1210, and it was only thank to the Peverell family that they got started. They create more custom wands, exotic some could say. The variety of cores is more obscure then at Olivanders." Rawhide pulled out a small box, probably to hold jewelry.

"Now, as you know being a female you can not claim Ladyship of the houses until you are seventeen, but you can show that you are the heir of such houses. The Potter and Black inheritance is yours by default but we need to know if you wish to claim the Peverell tittle and the Glass tittle, which really isn't much I am afraid. As you can see the Peverell's fortune has pretty much been squandered, it is only from profits made by the Dushku's who still hold true to their agreement from centuries ago that the vault has any money at all. Unfortunately the shop is not well known any longer."

Meredith nodded, that worked fine for her. She would need a new wand, one that couldn't be traced and what better place to get such a wand then Knockturn Alley.

"In this box is the bracelet every female heir wears until they are of age when they get the rings to become head of their houses," Rawhide said and she took the box, and opened it. Inside was a golden chain bracelet and below it was four charms – Potter, Black, Peverell and Glass. All were heavy looking and based in silver and certain gems. The Black's seemed to favor Onyx and Rubies, Potter the Onyx and Diamond, Peverell seemed to like Sapphires and Diamonds and the Glass crest seemed to favor Emeralds and Onyxes.

"You know when I woke up this morning I didn't realize I'd become the heir of not two families but four." Rawhide chuckled bitterly as he watched the young heir remove the bracelet and place it on her right wrist, and slowly add the crest charms – Potter, Black, Peverell and then Glass. The braclet glowed once and then faded.

"What – ?" Meredith trailed off in question.

"The crest have found you worthy of becoming the head of those families," he said. "You do realize when you marry and have children you will have to choice four to continue on the families names do you not?"

Meredith looked up startled. "You mean give them my maiden name?"

He nodded. "You could, or you could just make them aware – the ones you chose as the heir of which family – that when they have a first born male they need to give said male that family name. For instance if you have a son and decide to give him the Potter name instead of your husbands then problems solved unless he only has daughter. If you don't give him the Potter name though and name him the heir to the Potter fortune then when he has his first son he must give the child the name Potter over his own name. The same can be said for daughters you might have and give rights to say the Glass family, you understand?"

Meredith nodded, it didn't sound so bad. It wasn't like she never wanted kids because she loved kids, and having never been given the childhood she'd have wanted or had siblings she'd always thought she'd grow up and have lots of kids, like the Weasley's. But after Voldemort had returned she had never really thought she'd have the time. Now everything changed.

"If this is all, I need to be getting back to Hogsmeade before long. I have to be back to the school by four," she said and Rawhide nodded.

"Of course, before you go though could I recommend that you take one of our endless pouches which would be connected directly to your family Vault. Unfortunately it would have to be the Glass Vault since the other two have a...let's say law for lack of better word against female heirs gaining access before they come of age." Rawhide pulled a royal purple bag onto the desk, but on it was a four sided crest sort of like the Hogwarts crest only with her family crest instead on the front in emerald stitching.

"It is sort of like a credit card, the muggles call it, you only need to reach in and think of the amount needed and it appears straight from your vault. One of the plus sides is if it is stolen it will reappear instantly and if someone besides an heir tries to each inside they will...well they'll lose certain appendages." He finished with a feral grin.

"How much is it, if it is so versatile why is it not so popular?" she asked.

"Magic users do not trust us easily Madam Potter, as such they do not care to listen to our accommodations to their plights so to say. Not to mention we don't advertise to those we do not like." He smirked. "It is also a starting fee of fifty galleons, mostly because the spells used to make it so safe takes quite a bit from us and our ward masters."

"That's fine, I'll take it," she said and Rawhide nodded handing the bag over to her and she placed it alongside her other pouch. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice Master Goblin Rawhide."

The Goblin raised an eyebrow. "It is not everyday we get a magic user with such manners. May you always find gold within your reach Madam. I will keep you updated on your accounts, so do expect a monthly review from a owl."

Meredith nodded and minutes latter exited the bank for Knockturn Alley. As she entered the dark alley she lifted her hood and checked the time. It was already noon, she had been at the bank for over an hour now. Shaking her head she began looking around for the wand shop, and wished she had asked Rawhide if he knew where it was located.

Once she passed Borgin and Burks she began to worry but she need not since the shop was only a few doors down. It reminded he slightly of Olivanders, but was more dark and dreary but once inside she found the warmth and magic comforting.

"Hello," a woman said from the front of the store and she turned in that direction. The woman was not very old, maybe in her late twenties to early thirties. She was tall, much taller then her and had choppy black hair that reached her chin and electric blue eyes. "I'm Tatiana Dushku, your here for a wand aren't you?"

Meredith smiled and removed her hood. The woman, Tatiana was so different from Olivander it was sort of surprising and refreshing. Almost as suspected the woman's eyes widened.

"Ms. Potter, what a surprise," she gasped out. "I had no idea you would even know about this place. Are you lost, no offense it's just I can't imagine you wanting to shop here."

Meredith shook her head. "I'm not lost, I need another wand though. Mine, well it's monitored by the Ministry so I need something that won't get me in trouble." Tatiana nodded.

"I understand, we actually get a lot of customers asking for that. May I see you first wand please?" Meredith nodded and handed it over, watching as the woman looked it over at close inspection.

"Hmmm...Holly, Phoenix feather, 11 inches. It's a powerful wand, and Holly is a very powerful wood, rare." Tatiana handed the wand back. "So are you right or left handed?"

"Right," Meredith said and Tatiana asked her to hold it out and she measured it before walking back into the back and bringing out an armful of boxes.

"Here, let's start with this. Yew, Runespoor fang, 12 ½ inches – " Meredith took the wand and waved it, wincing as a flower vase on a shelf right behind Tatiana exploded violently. Tatiana shook her head and plucked the wand away.

"Definitely not!" She held out another wand, this time with marble like wood. "Ebony and Apple wood, Phoenix feather, 10 ¼ inches. One of our more exotic mixes."

This continue for almost fifteen minutes and twenty-eight wand before Tatiana came upon one box in the main back. She shrugged and brought it out.

"This want was an experiment by my father, he made many similar to it but this was his most unusual. It's a mix of three woods, Acacia – the main wood, Cedar and Laurel. The core is a mix of two, this is done because only one would unbalance the wand – the cores are Thestral hair covered in Ashwinder ash. 12 inches." It was a beautiful wand, dark wood despite having been made of three different woods. She took it and gave it a wave, a shook raced through her body as a killing curse green light showered from the tip.

Tatiana stared amazed, shivering a bit at the light. "Wow."

"Is that normal?" Meredith asked and Tatiana shrugged.

"Well, not exactly. I've never seen such an eery light show before, but everyone is different. So that will be 20 Galleons," Tatiana said and seeing the girls raised eyebrow she smiled. "The most exotic wands are more expensive, this one has three woods and two cores, so it's one of the most expensive we sell."

Meredith nodded and fished out the money before handing it over to the blue eyed woman. Taking her new wand she bit her lip. "Uh, sorry but do you have anything I can keep my wand attached to for easy drawl..."

"Of course, wand Holsters, Aurors use them and most Purebloods who don't keep their wand in their canes." Tatiana came back with two holsters which looked like leather, but she was sure was dragon hide.

"Dragonhide, resistant to most spells. Unfortunately only one for each forearm, so you'll have to decide which arm to place which wand. I'd recommend practicing magic with your left hand but there is no guarantee it'll work very well." Meredith nodded and took the two holsters.

"How much?"

"15 Galleons," Tatiana said and Meredith nodded, handing the money over before placing the holsters on and putting her wand into the proper slot. She placed her holly wand on her right and new one on her left.

"Thank you Tatiana," she said and began to exit the shop, replacing her hood as she went.

"Good day Ms. Potter." She heard behind her as she left and she began to head back to the Leaky Cauldron and floo back to the Three Broomsticks.

**xXx**

Meredith returned at a quarter till twelve, to her relief her two friends were still there, at the same table, but now had a warm meal in front of them. Meredith quickly lifted her hood and hurried over, sitting in the seat she had abandoned before.

"Merry, it's about time!" Hermione exclaimed, breathing a sigh of relief. Ron looked up from his sandwich, a very large sandwich and Meredith groaned as her stomach growled.

"Sorry, It took longer then I thought." With that she reached over with her hand and grabbed one of the halves of sandwiches on Ron's plate, it wasn't until she had it that the redheaded boy even noticed.

"Ey!" he exclaimed, mouth full and Meredith laughed as she took a napkin and placed the half on it for the moment and reached for the mustard when Hermione's hand caught hers, examining the bracelet on her wrist. Ron's eyes widened as he caught sight of it and she thought he was going to choke as he swallowed quickly.

"What's this?" she asked and Meredith tore her wrist free with a groan.

"Four, Mer I thought it was just the Potter and Black families!" Ron exclaimed and Meredith cast a quick Muffliato as she flicked her right wrist and summoned her wand.

"What, what is he talking about?" Meredith sighed.

"He's talking about my inheritance. This bracelet is something the female heirs wear until they come of age and can claim the Ladyship as head of house." Hermione nodded.

"But there is four, shouldn't there only be two?" Meredith nodded.

"I thought so too but the test they had me do made it clear I was eligible as heir to more then just the Blacks and Potters. It seems my father was a direct descendent of one of the Peverell brothers." Ron's eyes widened and Hermione blinked.

"Peverell?"

"Don't you read?" Ron asked looking at her as if she was crazy. "The Peverells are one of the oldest Pureblooded families and the three brothers, one of which Meredith is obviously a descendant of, are in the story of the three Hollows. You should really look it up." Hermione gave him a scandalized look and Meredith chuckled.

"Anyways I'm the heir of that family, and it seems my Mother isn't a Muggle-Born after all." Ron and Hermione all stared at her. "Rawhide, the one who looks over my inheritance and accounts, said that my mother was the last heir to the Glass family. They were Purebloods that got wiped out during Grindlewald's reign but before that they had my grandmother who was given up and turned out to be a squib, she's who I was named after it seemed, Meredith Glass."

"And then she had your mother, but Squibs can't have magical children," Ron said and Meredith shrugged.

"My grandmother married a muggle who had some magical ties in the past to hear Rawhide say it and it was enough to allow my mother to be magical. It's uncommon but squibs have been known to have magical children but only with those who are not squibs. Two squibs have never had a magical child before."

"So your mother was a Half-Blood." Meredith nodded.

"Shocked me too, Rawhide said she knew but the Glass family isn't all that well off, a relatively young Pureblooded family. My mother didn't wish to take her place as Lady since she was dating my father at the time from what I understand. So it falls to me, hence why I have four charms." Meredith sighed. "I'm thinking of placing a notice-me-not charm on it or turning it invisible."

It would be for the best, she didn't want Dumbledore to see it after all. Biting the inside of her cheek she looked to Hermione. "Do you think you can cast it for me, I don't need anyone else noticing it." Hermione blinked and then nodded before waving her wand and speaking the incantation. The bracelet glowed and seemingly disappeared.

"It's an invisibility charm I've wanted to try for some time now, I'm glad it didn't turn your arm invisible." Ron and Meredith stared at her before they turned back to their food. They spent the next ten minutes eating before standing up too leave.

The street was not very busy; nobody was lingering to chat, just hurrying toward their destinations. The exceptions were two men a little ahead of them, standing just outside the Three Broomsticks. One was very tall and thin; squinting through his rain-washed glasses Meredith recognized the barman who worked in the other Hogsmeade pub, the Hog's Head.

As Meredith, Ron, and Hermione drew closer, the barman drew his cloak more tightly around his neck and walked away, leaving the shorter man to fumble with something in his arms. They were barely feet from him when Meredith realized who the man was.

"Mundungus!"

The squat, bandy-legged man with long, straggly, ginger hair jumped and dropped an ancient suitcase, which burst open, releasing what looked like the entire contents of a junk shop window.

"Oh, 'ello, 'Erry," said Mundungus Fletcher, with a most unconvincing stab at airiness. "Well, don't let me keep ya." And he began scrabbling on the ground to retrieve the contents of his suitcase with every appearance of a man eager to be gone.

"Are you selling this stuff?" asked Meredith, watching Mundungus grab an assortment of grubby-looking objects from the ground.

"Oh, well, gotta scrape a living," said Mundungus. "Gimme that!"

Ron had stooped down and picked up something silver. Something that now she looked at it seemed familiar.

"Hang on," Ron said slowly. "This looks familiar —"

"Thank you!" said Mundungus, snatching the goblet out of Ron's hand and stuffing it back into the case, and Meredith's eyes widened and then narrowed into slits as she flicked her right wrist once more and had her holly wand in hand. "Well, I'll see you all — OUCH!"

Meredith had pinned Mundungus against the wall of the pub by the throat, a feat for a girl though with all her years of running away from her cousin and Quidditch she had amazing strength for someone so small and petite. Holding him fast with one hand, she pointed her wand at his throat.

"Meredith!" squealed Hermione, shocked as her eyes widened.

"You took that from Sirius's house," said Meredith, who was almost nose to nose with Mundungus and was breathing in an unpleasant smell of old tobacco and spirits. She dug her wand deeper into his throat and Mundungus let out a painful squeal.

"That had the Black family crest on it." She didn't know exactly why she had lost it, but she knew she didn't like being stolen from and everything in Grimmauld Place and in Gringotts belonged to her as the Black heir and future Lady of the house.

"I — no — what —?" spluttered Mundungus, who was slowly turning purple.

"What did you do, go back the night he died and strip the place?" snarled Meredith.

"I — no —"

"Give it to me!"

"Meredith, you mustn't!" shrieked Hermione, as Mundungus started to turn blue.

There was a bang, and Meredith felt her hands fly off Mundungus's throat. Gasping and spluttering, Mundungus seized his fallen case, then — CRACK — he fell to the ground holding his nose, where she had kicked him as hard as she could.

"Oh, my 'ose!" blood dripped down and onto the white ground, tainting it.

Meredith swore, glaring down at the man as she moved forward she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"There's no point, Meredith." Tonks had appeared out of nowhere, her mousy hair wet with sleet.

"He's nicked Sirius's stuff! Nicked it, I don't like being stolen from Nymphadora!" she sneered the last part, her eyes holding a light that Tonks shivered from. She had never seen the girl look so much like a Black before.

"Merry, get a hold of yourself!" Tonks yelled, not even bothering to correct the redhead of her name.

"My 'ose!" Dung exclaimed again and Meredith turned and kicked him in the gut, ignoring the sigh from Tonks and the gasps from her two friends.

"Meredith Lily Potter-Black!" Tonks yelled, and Meredith spun around looking at the mousy haired girl in shock and anger and then she felt a hard slap to her face. Placing her hand up to the sore cheek she blinked at the Auror.

"Control yourself, before you loose it completely." Meredith sighed, shaking her head and looking back at Dung who was groaning and moaning on the ground, blood still leaking from his face.

"Get up," she snapped at him and. "I'm sorry guys, I just lost it there for a minute. He stole from Sirius, from me and I don't like...he's only been dead a few months."

"It's okay, we understand." Ron nodded as he said this.

"Yeah, but please don't do that again, you scared me for a minute there," Hermione said.

"You should get out of the cold," Tonks finally said and they nodded and began to move but then there were several cracks and screams. The four spun around too see Death Eaters and Meredith's eyes widened. Those dunderheads, what the hell were they doing here this early!

"Go, run back to the school!" Tonks yelled as she pulled her wand and began firing spells. Meredith's eyes widened as a green curse sailed at Tonks and she moved without thinking and pulled the woman out of the way with her, both fell to the ground, and she was thankful to see Ron and Hermione had dropped as well. As she looked back she snorted as she watched Dung stared wide eyed and then drop as the curse hit him head on.

"It's Potter!" a voice yelled and she swore. She couldn't very well attack them, despite then having attacked Tonks. She wasn't in the mood for a magical coma today.

"Go!" Tonks yelled and Meredith swore as she stood, grabbing her friends and running with them, not caring that she had stepped over Mundungus' body as she went – though Hermione gave her a appalled look.

"Fuck!" Meredith screamed as the three friends skidded to a halt as four Death Eaters appeared in their way. They were surrounded. She watched with a grimace as Ron and Hermione pulled out their wands and while she clutched her holly wand she couldn't exactly use it on them unless they attacked her first.

"No where too run now itty bitty Potter," a familiar voice said and she glared.

"Bitch," she swore and the Death Eaters laughed as Bellatrix, the one who'd spoken before, fired off a familiar blood-freezing spell – and though she had read about it she had not tried it out yet. She dodged, noticing her friends had begun throwing spells at the Death Eaters as well and she smirked.

"Thanks Bella-bitch," Meredith muttered and flicked her wand and sending off an Expelliarmus. It was blocked and she had to spin out of the way of a crucio from another unnamed Death Eater.

"Our Master will reward us if we bring him the Potter Bitch," the Death Eater next to Bellatrix said and she snorted as she looked over at her friends to make sure they were alright, only to swear as she noticed Hermione backed up against a wall, her wand on the ground five feet away.

"Confringo!" she cried and watched with glee as the Death Eater in front of Hermione was hit and blasted against a wall, his broken and bleeding body falling to the snowy ground. It was something that cost her though as seconds latter she felt a spell hit her hand and then pain as her wand flew ten feet away from her.

Clutching her hand she back away, there was a dime size hole in it, probably from a dark spell, but she couldn't be sure.

"Looks like you loose Potter," Bellatrix said with a laugh and Meredith sneered.

"Your pathetic, I'm going to enjoy burning you off the family Tapestry bitch," she said with a cold laugh and Bellatrix screamed with rage.

"You can't do anything if you're dead," the Death Eater swore as she raised the twisted walnut wand. "Avada Ke – "

"Bella, wait!" the male beside her said. "The Master will have the honor, he'd skin us all if you took the kill from him."

"How sad." Bellatrix pouted, or at least it seemed like she did.

"Merry!" Ron and Hermione cried as she turned in time to see the stunner hit her and she toppled over onto the ground, the last thing she heard was the laughter of Death Eaters.

**xXx**

The Death Eaters all waited with baited breathe as Voldemort stared passively at them with pursed lips and his eyes went from the stunned figure of Potter to them. He didn't seem angry, but then he didn't seem happy either. Unbeknownst to them he was a bundle of emotions – much to his annoyance since he wasn't that used to dealing with emotions other then glee and anger but the return of half his soul and the affect Meredith had had on him was seriously doing a number to his control.

"My Lord, we have brought you Potter," A brave Death Eater said and Voldemort narrowed his eyes at him as he moved from his throne like chair and stood next to the body of Potter, his wand in hand. At first the Death Eaters thought their master was going to curse her or wake her but instead he simply stood there.

"I see that," he hissed. "I do not remember scheduling this strike for the middle of the day King, and I do not remember giving anyone permission to attack of the girl."

Nagini raised from her napping placed at his throne and cursed upon noticing the limp body of the red-she-snake.

_::Fowl minions, attacking my Tom's chosen one.::_ Nagini muttered to herself as she slithered from the throne like chair and down to Meredith. Her tongue flicked out and tasted the skin of the girls cheek, and she moved to curl up in a comforting manner around the girl. _::No one hurts what belongs to me and my Tom.:: _

"But my Lord," Bellatrix began, her eyes large, round and misty. Tom glared at her and she shrank back, lowering her head and he sighed. Sometimes he found it hard to look at the woman and not think back to what she had once been like – true even then she'd been a few cards short of a full deck but he had helped tremendously in driving her to insanity. Against his better judgment he thought of Meredith and for once felt true guilt, after all he hadn't always had feelings for the young redhead, not even when this crazy dreamscape business began.

"Silence Bella," he snapped. "You have all disappointed me grievously. Go, do not return until I call you." He wanted them gone now, so he could wake Meredith up and get her off that cold stone ground. It was unfitting and Nagini was already ranting up a storm, and planing how to kill many of his followers in their sleep.

He sighed as they all disappeared, noticing instantly the hesitance at which Severus left. Without letting but a few moment pass by he walked over to where Nagini was uncoiling from Meredith's body and bent down, shifting to his human appearance as he picked her up and began walking to his bedroom. There was no need to wake her in the meeting chamber, and Nagini followed. He could have sworn he heard the snake humming snake-like a wedding march but he quickly dismissed it.

"You seem to get yourself in the worst of trouble my Little Redbird," he muttered as he placed on on the bed and then pulled out his wand. "Ennervate."

Meredith blinked and sat up, finding herself in a familiar room. She turned and blinked upon seeing Nagini on the bed with her and Tom standing at her side with a eyebrow raised.

"Tom," she breathed, shocked that she was finally seeing him in person.


	16. Confessions

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
><strong>**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

******A/N 4/23/12: Hey, I am back! I am sorry for this being so late but things have been hectic and you can read all about it bellow, after the chapter. Since I am sure none of you want to read this right now when the next chapter is bellow. So enjoy!  
><strong>****

* * *

><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 15: Confessions.  
><strong>

"Tom?" He looked at her then and let his lips bend into a small smile, to assure her. After all he was sure this must be nerve wreaking for her. He was also positive he had not mistaken the fleeting flicker of fear that had flashed through her mismatched eyes. It hurt a bit, months ago he'd have loved to have Meredith Potter fear his very presence but now he could barely humor the thought.

"Are you alright, Merry?" Tom asked and he noticed as she flexed her right hand. Taking a double take he realized the blood. He could have slapped himself for not noticing before. "Who did this to you?"

His teeth were ground together as he stared at the gaping wound on her ivory while hand. He reached forward, gently taking her hand into his and bringing his wand down to it. He had never been the best with healing magics, one of the subjects that kept eluding him. Like a mouse would outrun a cat – or maybe that was the muggle cartoon with the mouse and cat named Tom. Merry liked that cartoon he recalled. He had never been fond of it because of the use of the cat, Tom.

"I'm not exactly sure. I think it was Bellatrix." Tom's eyes narrowed. Now he wished he had tortured them a bit before sending them off. Hindsight and everything but he would just have to punish them latter.

"What happened Tom?" Meredith asked. "Did you change the time?" Tom sighed and Nagini looked between the two before turning and sliding out the door. Hearts practically dancing in her eyes as she hummed and thought of future grand-hatchlings.

"I did not, they foolishly attacked early without my knowledge." He ran a hand down Meredith's cheek. "They will be punished."

Tom sat down on the edge of the best and Meredith looked at him through large eyes. She couldn't believe he was really here.

"This isn't a dream, is it?" she asked and Tom raised an eyebrow.

"Not even a little bit, though maybe it is. It's not very often some can make a evil man love," he said shrugging and Meredith's eyes snapped up in shock. He looked away, not willing to admit what he had admitted to himself even if grudgingly, and he knew Meredith wasn't going to call him out on it since she hadn't yet.

"It's not everyday evil Dark Lord's are forgiven by there victims." He looked over at her and almost wished he hadn't. The look of trust in her eyes wanted to strangle him, and he realized then he had to tell her. He had to tell her the truth on everything, and he realized he might actually owe Dumbledore a level of gratitude. If the old man had never destroyed the ring, he might not have grown to care for Meredith like he had. It only added to his disgust to know he owed Dumbledore anything.

"Meredith..." he trailed off as he said her name softly and he thought of what to say or how to begin. He felt her shift on the bed and looked over at her, realizing she was checking a wand hostler on her right arm, and then her left.

"My wand, did they bring it with them?" Meredith asked, and then lowered the sleeve covering her new unregistered wand. Tom blinked and then sighed, letting out a small chuckle.

"They did not, I assume one of your friends has it. Or it is still in the Alley." Tom ran a hand through his hair and sighed and he flinched only slightly as she moved behind him, wrapping her arm over his shoulders, pressing her front against his back and resting her chin on his shoulder, kissing his cheek as she did so.

"What's wrong Tom? My scar keeps twitching, and it starting to annoy me." He chuckled again.

"I have to...on a risk of sounding cliché...make a confession," he said he felt Meredith stiffen for a split second.

"You can tell me anything, call me crazy but I don't think anything you can admit to will change anything between us. It's already to late, I'm yours." Tom sighed, though he couldn't help but feel excited about that, warm. Maybe this was a chance for him to be something other then bitter and murderous, maybe he could have someone to love and be loved by?

"That's what I'm afraid of," he admitted, and he was. He knew what happened to things he owned, or touched, they ended up broken. His mother had died because of him, so she was obviously broken, Bellatrix, and he even felt a little remorse for Hepzibah. "You know I care for you Redbird, more then I can ever remember caring for anyone, not that the list is long."

Meredith listened with rapt attention and he knew it. "When this began, my intentions were less then pure. I was still suffering from effects of regaining the diary soul piece and even with it I was still severely damaged with a little less then half a soul. Something no mortal should have, the soul is fragile as it is strong you see. I had planed to sway you to my side using my charms and to put it bluntly seduction, to make you dependent on me to love me."

"I'm not surprised." He startled, standing up and looking at her. She was sitting with her knees tucked under her, a sad but understanding look on her face.

"Did you really think I trusted you in the beginning? I was just so tired of fighting you then, so alone. I was aware that you were probably just using me but I didn't care." Her voice got choked. "I just wanted someone to love me even if it was pretend, I came to terms subconsciously that as long as you pretended to love me I'd do anything for you." She shook her head.

"It scared me, I was so afraid, the oath made it easier I think but until now I don't think I realized how easy it would be for you to rebuke on it. It wouldn't kill either of us and I can't even hate you for that, because I am as much to blame as you."

Tom was speechless. "Why?"

"Because I love you. I never banked on actually falling in love with you, and I never banked on being able to actually forgive you for everything but to me it's not really your fault. If you had been sane would you have fallen for the Prophecy? You might have eventually killed my parents but it was a war, these things happen and I don't excuse you for it but I can forgive it. You didn't kill Sirius, you didn't kidnap him and torture him, you didn't whisper into his ear and make him go to the Ministry. That fault lies with me, Bellatrix, Sirius, and Dumbledore. Compared to what Dumbledore and the light has put me through you've been kind."

He shook his head and gasped as a wet filling fell from his right eye. He noticed Meredith's eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open as she gaped at him. He lifted a hand to his face and wiped the cheek, noticing he had actually shed a tear. Of gratitude or grief he was unsure.

"Sounds like that Black insanity didn't skip you after all," he said and Meredith smiled and laughed.

"Us Black's have a saying," she said not caring that she had referred to herself as a Black, because technically she was. "_'_It doesn't matter how sane you began the Black blood always catches you in the end.'_"_

"Where did you learn that?" She smirked.

"Sirius of course, he told me all about the Black curse. He knew I had enough Black blood to be effected, especially with my lot in life. Personally I think your just more likable then you like to believe Tommy." She chuckled as the man frowned.

"I hate that name," he muttered.

"I think it's cute, Tommy...haha!" she gasped as she was forced back onto her back as the man pounced on her. She smiled and moved one of her hands up to trail along his cheek, both their eyes meeting each others.

"How are we going to pull this off?" she asked. "I have to return to Hogwarts, and Snape. You do know he's..."

"A spy for Dumbledore?" Tom asked with a smirk. "Of course, he is a great Occlumens but he bares the dark mark, there isn't anything in his head he can keep from me for long."

"Hmm how devious." Tom smirked and leaned down, pulling Merry into a kiss, which she returned with enthusiasm.

**xXx**

"You, Mr. McLaggen," Professor McGonagall said and the tall seventh year walked forward and she thrust the wrapped necklace into his hands. "Take this necklace to Professor Snape at once, but be sure not to touch it, keep it wrapped in the scarf tightly!"

"Yes Professor," he said and ran off. She sighed, how could this happen, she thought as she looked at the holly wand that belonged to Meredith Potter.

Hermione, Ron and the others followed Professor McGonagall upstairs and into her office. The sleet-spattered windows were rattling in their frames, and the room was chilly despite the fire crackling in the grate. Professor McGonagall closed the door and swept around her desk to face Ron, Hermione, and the still sobbing Leanne – a friend of the critically injured Katie Bell. They were sure many others were also sobbing, after all there had been ten casualties, all students, and another six being adults.

"Well?" she said sharply. "What happened?"

It took her a little to gain control of her sobbing, with help from Hermione who was quietly weeping her own tears over her now missing best friend – and possibly dead – Leanne was able to tell Professor McGonagall how Katie had gone to the bathroom in the Three Broomsticks and returned holding the unmarked package.

How Katie had seemed a little odd, and how they had argued about the advisability of agreeing to deliver unknown objects, the argument culminating in the tussle over the parcel, which tore open. At this point, Leanne was so overcome, there was no getting another word out of her.

"And you two?" Hermione and Ron shared a look.

"We don't know exactly how Katie came to be like this Professor, the attack happened not long after the two began there walk back to the school. I recall seeing them pass us just minutes before the Death Eaters attacked." Ron nodded, though he could not recall seeing Leanne and Katie passing them he was too busy watching Meredith attack Mundungus.

"Right, when they attacked Tonks told us to run back to the school, for once Meredith seemed pretty relieved to comply," Ron said, but he knew why. He recalled the conversations they'd had in the last two months about her neutral stance unless provoked. He couldn't help but notice she never once drew her wand on the Death Eaters until the curse had sailed at her from Bellatrix.

Ron nodded and continued. "Bellatrix and some I didn't recognize cut us off and we dueled."

"It's my fault. I distracted her, she blasted one of them into the wall -" Hermione swallowed, the Confringo Meredith had shot at the Death Eater had been powerful and when Aurors and Professors had arrived, by then Bellatrix and those who'd attacked were gone with Meredith of course – the unlucky block had died from his injuries. "- she was distracted and her wand was...they took her after she was stunned from behind."

The Professor sighed. "All right," said Professor McGonagall, not unkindly, "go up to the hospital wing, please, Leanne, and get Madam Pomfrey to give you something for shock."

When she had left the room, Professor McGonagall turned back to Hermione and Ron.

"Professor how are we going to save Merry!" Ron exclaimed in question. Hermione nodded.

"Surely Professor Dumbledore needs to know! He has a plan to get her out, who knows what he could be doing to her!" For some reason that sentence made her want to break into uncontrolled giggles and she didn't know why.

"The headmaster is away until Monday, Ms. Granger," said Professor McGonagall, looking surprised.

"Away?" Hermione repeated gravely.

"Yes, away!" said Professor McGonagall tartly. "But anything you have to say about this horrible business can be said to me, I'm sure!"

Hermione and Ron shared a look and were about to confide in their suspicions that Malfoy had something to do with everything when the door shuttered open and Snape came sweeping in, his robes billowing like an overgrown bat behind him. He did not look pleased.

"Severus, what is this?" Professor asked and Snape looked at the two side-kicks of Potter and Minerva sighed.

"Please return to your common rooms. We will discus this at a latter date."

"But Professor, Merry is hurt, she could be dead!" Hermione cried and Minerva pursed her lips into a thin line but her eyes showed remorse.

"I'm afraid we can't help Ms. Potter right now." Hermione looked from the Professors and sighed. She knew they were right but she didn't have to like it. Turning to tugged Ron with her out the door and as it shut Severus turned slightly and flicked his wand twice at it, locking the door and causing their conversation to be unheard if the two pest decided to eavesdrop outside.

"Severus, what has become of Ms. Potter?" Minerva asked in almost a whisper. Her eyes were wide though and she dreaded the answer. Severus looked at her impassively before speaking.

"It doesn't look good, but I am unsure." He looked away, walking behind her to inspect the necklace he knew Draco had so uncouthly planted for the Bell girl to take to the castle. What the blasted boy was trying to accomplish he would never understand since it would take a Confundus, and a strong one at that, for the Headmaster to touch the obviously dark artifact. "I was expecting the Dark Lord to be joyous at Potter's capture but it appears I was wrong."

Minerva raised an eyebrow. "He's upset with the Death Eaters?" Severus nodded.

"Undeniably so, he was grievously disappointed they moved up the attack and captured Potter. I am unsure why, but his actions confuse me more then my worry for Potter. He seemed, rattled, for lack of better words."

"What do you mean? Did he kill someone unexpected?" Minerva asked, and she looked at him with furrowed brows and a frown.

She could still remember the boy she'd went to school with, Tom Riddle who would one day be called Lord Voldemort. She would be shamed to admit she'd had a small crush on the once handsome charismatic boy in her youth. By her sixth year though she had moved on to another interest, a fellow Gryffindor named Raoul Ferguson. They latter married and because her husband was a Muggle-Born they had resided in McGonagall Manor in Scotland and had two lovely daughters before his death in 1975.

It was a rather muggle way to go, a muggle heart attack. Not even magic could cure something so mundane and they happened so quickly, death was almost instant to some. That had been the case for Raoul, he had only been forty-nine at the time.

One of the saddest days of her life. Her two daughters, Athena and Sophia were in their forties now. Athena lived in Paris, and had a daughter with her husband who went to Beaubatons. Sophia lived in Canada teaching at a magical school there and had two sons, and was a single mother after a divorce ten years before.

"That just it Minerva, he didn't torture or kill anyone. Unusually merciful, he did look at me strangely as I left, probably noted my hesitance to leave Potter where she lay."

"And you did leave her I suppose," Minerva said with a sigh.

"I had no other choice." Severus scuffed. "The Dark Lord does not forgive treason, I can not smuggle her out while he was standing right next to her, not to mention Nagini seemed unusually...calm and kind to the girl. Or maybe she was simply guarding what she assumed was her dinner." He shrugged.

"I do not speak snake."

Minerva snorted. "I suppose you don't Severus. What are we to do though? The Headmaster won't be back for two days, by then he could have her killed or worst!" Minerva shuddered.

There had been cases of insanity, maiming, memory lost, and even rape in the first war. Most done by Death Eaters, but Voldemort never moved to stop them from their fun so what would stop him from letting those same Death Eaters loose on Meredith? She'd never forgive herself if she'd failed to save James and Lily's daughter from such a fate.

Severus sighed, his eyes locked on the grounds below the castle window. Lily, sweet darling Lily. He would never be able to forgive himself or Potter for Lily's death. If only Potter had left Lily alone, if they had never married and Meredith Potter had never been born, then he'd still have his best friend and the only woman he'd ever loved. Then he gritted his teeth, but it wasn't that simple was it?

Lily might have still died, she was a Muggle-Born – or so he thought – after all and he had helped destroy the friendship they'd shared since they were kids when he'd called her a filthy Mudblood. It didn't stop him from blaming Potter though, and the daughter of his childhood enemy. Meredith Potter had been a painful reminder since the day she'd stepped foot into Hogwarts.

He had been expecting a clone of Potter, but what he got was a almost mirror image of Lily with messier hair, sharper features though still with the softness of Lily, and one green eye to make his heart squeeze in pain and one hazel eye to torment him. The embodiment of James and Lily Potter's love, he would never be able to bring himself a kind word to the girl, but he would never let the last piece of Lily Evans die either.

"I shall go to Albus, I am aware where he is at this moment. When I find him we will come up with a plan to help Potter escape without...lasting damage to her psyche." Minerva sighed.

"That is all we can do, I suppose."

**xXx**

Tom sat at his desk in the study, Meredith sat on the floor, a cushy cushion under her as she seemingly meditated. In reality she was concentrating on finishing her transformation into her animagus form. If she could master it she could put their plan into action that much easier.

After much brainstorming between the two Tom had suggested she use her unknown animagus form to get out of her 'cell' and back to Hogwarts. The only problem was she would appear to be unharmed, it was to much of a risk but her suggestion of him roughing her up a little angered him slightly.

He had no qualms killing or torturing a woman, but Meredith wasn't a mere woman. She was his, and he truthfully did not want to hurt her. Well, maybe a little when she got annoying, but then she expected her to act immature at times, she was only sixteen after all. She was much more mature then others her age though, and it was as much his fault he supposed as it was Dumbledore's.

He knew what it was like growing up friendless and unloved, nature vs nurture the muggles called it. Meredith had even admitted that she thought that if the orphanage had been kinder, if he'd born after the war or simply had his mother growing up he might not have turned out as unhinged as he did.

As it was he thought it was a miracle – something Meredith agreed on – that she didn't turn out even worse then she was since she was just as mistreated growing up, and by people who were supposed to love and cherish her, family by blood. No matter though, Tom thought as he read through the latest reports from his most loyal of Death Eaters. It wasn't like the Dursley's would be alive much longer. Meredith had mentioned a Halloween ball being announced yesterday and that many had used today to buy costumes since it was a costume ball.

She had owl ordered her, but refused to divulge what she was going as. Maybe if all went well he could join her that night, after they finished off her relatives of course.

'Meow' Tom's head snapped up and out of his thoughts as he heard the soft sound of a cat close by. Sitting where Meredith should have been was a medium sized cat, that would probably grow a little more before she was eighteen and stopped growing, with the same mismatched eyes and a reddish brown coat. She had her head held high, almost looking at him in smug satisfaction and he let a rare smile grace his face. Meredith meowed once more and began walking, jumping up onto his desk and bumping her head against his hand. He chuckled.

"I see you've done it little redbird," he said and Meredith snapped at his hand with her small fangs. He smirked. "Now, be nice. You may not be a bird but you're still my redbird." He stroked her fur, running his fingers down her silky coat and smirking smugly when she began purring loudly. He wondered if he could get her to do that as a human?

It wasn't uncommon for animagus to get traits from their animal form. He had faster reflexes and sharper canine teeth. He suspected Meredith's would be much the same, though it was different for different people and animals. For instance he knew Minerva McGonagall had a unnatural love and weakness for cat-nip. He hoped it wouldn't be the same for Meredith.

"My Lord," a voice interrupted him and he looked up startled. He wasn't surprised to see Severus, but he was surprised the man would so blithely walk into his study without knocking. Meredith's cat eyes looked at him and he was sure he understood her unspoken question, would he recognize her. After all there was a striking lightning like pattern in the fur above her right eyes.

As his hand ran down the area in her fur he silently cast a small notice me not spell, not on her but the small trace of light fur which made the design resemble her scar. He didn't think Severus would notice and think, that it was her but this did complicate their plan a bit. If Severus recognized the cat as Meredith latter, hopefully the spell would throw him off. This cat would seemingly have no scar, when they saw her after her courageous 'escape' her cat form would.

"Severus," Tom said making sure to drawl his death eaters name out. It was unfortunate he had no time to change back to his more...inhuman form. He knew how much more intimidating it made him concerning Severus. Not that he wasn't intimidating like this, Meredith had once said she thought it was more so because everyone thought him a monster but by looking like an everyday person he came off more terrifying. "You have a good reason for this unannounced interruption?"

He noticed Severus' eyes flickering over Meredith's form, which sat grooming herself happily on his desk. He wondered briefly if she'd be that flexible when she was human, but quickly dislodged the thought and focused on Severus.

"Do you have a problem Severus?" Severus shook his head, lowering his head as he entered further into the room.

"I wanted to offer my assistance with Potter?" Tom raised an eyebrow, and sighed when Meredith jumped form the desk into his lap. He tried to subtlety move his hand to stroke her back but was sure Severus caught the action.

"And what would I need from you? Do you wish to possess her like you did her mother?" Tom saw Severus stiffen along with Meredith but she soon relaxed. "Ah, yes Severus, I remember your interest...obsession let's call it, for dear sweet Lily Potter." He wasn't ignorant to one of his followers wince at the name. If it was because of the name itself or the fact Potter was tact onto the name he was unsure but he would bet it was both.

"My Lord, I have come to terms with that. Lily P-Potter means little to mean, her spawn even less. I simply wished to place myself into a position of -" Tom glared.

"You ask too much." Severus eyes held a look of panic now and he smiled slightly, not the smiles he would rarely give Meredith but one of the half smiles but much more chilling. The kind that let the other person know that you were up to something and it would be painful. "Crucio!"

Severus didn't even see the wand before he was on his knees, his head thrown back some and his jaw tight together, to stop from screaming. Tom sneered, and he almost chuckled as he heard Meredith meow and snuggle into his lap even more. He had obviously underestimated her dislike for Severus. For all her Slytherin traits she was still a Gryffindor, and though she wasn't a saint she was far from evil as well. Unlike him, she still had some innocence, pun intended.

"Do not think me ignorant Severuss," he hissed. "I know of your...loyalties. I keep you for amusement, because you are useful. Do not begin to think you have any right to my actions with Potter. She is mine to deal with, no one else shall have the pleasure." He sneered, releasing the spell after what seemed like minutes but was only a little under two.

"For-forgive me. I spoke out of turn, it won't happen again," Severus said, his breathing shaky and hard. His was shaking slightly, from exposure to the curse no doubt. Tom stared at the man and then looked down as Meredith moved, jumping down from her spot on his lap and gracefully walked closer to Snape who also followed her but with dark brown, near black eyes.

"I didn't realize you have more then Nagini, my Lord." Severus realized to late this was probably the wrong thing to say as he once again felt the torture curse rip through him. It never seemed to phase the cat though as she walked around him once.

"How reckless of you Severus, very reckless. It seems my darling Redbird doesn't like you much," Tom said, watching as Meredith glared at Severus as he ended the curse. He waited and almost laughed as she moved to stand on a area of the mans robes, which flared over the floor with him being on his knees and loosing half his height. Severus was rudely aware of the sound of liquid, and then was very aware of a wet spot appeared on his robes as he looked down to see the strange reddish cat.

"Little Redbird, that's enough now." Meredith meowed as she moved away from her hunched place walking smugly back over to Tom and jumping back into his lap.

"I shall let you go now Severus, I have work to do and a Potter to deal with as I see fit." Tom grinned, sending a chill down Severus' spine. "I would get those burned as well Severus, cat urine doesn't come out very well. Or at least the smell doesn't. Leave."

Tom noted that at least Snape knew when he was being dismissed by the sound of shuffling and the door shutting. Looking down at the purring cat who looked up at him he raised an amused eyebrow.

"Was that necessary?" he asked.

"Meow!" He'd take that as a yes.

**xXx**

Tom sighed as he looked at Meredith dressed in the same clothes she'd worn the day before when brought in. she had a look of amusement on her face as she stared at him, they'd been debating the best way to do this for the last hour. She had been adamant it wouldn't look real unless she'd return injured. It had to look real, and he'd healed her hand earlier, and she didn't wish them to know that she had an unregistered wand.

'The whole point of my second wand is to get away with magic this Halloween. I have fifteen years of pent up frustration to get out on the Dursley's after all.' she had said smirking. 'You didn't think I was going to let you have all the fun, now did you?'

He suspected the Dursley's would be some of the only people she'd ever kill, if she finished them in the end that is.

"Come on Tom, you can't have gone that soft on me," she said teasingly, and he groaned. Her double meaning behind words were slowly killing him, and he suspected she knew.

"I have no wish to hurt you Merry," he said, taping his yew wand against his leg. She snorted.

"You have too," she said, and walked over to his desk, pulled out the middle drew and pulled out a delicate yet sharp athame he kept around in case he wasn't in reach of his wand and for rituals. Sometimes simply to make prisoners and captives wish they'd told them what they'd wanted to know a lot sooner. "A few short lived cruciatus curses, throw me around a little, cut me – think of it like really rough foreplay."

"Foreplay?" he asked, taking the athame from her hands. "You have a really twisted since of foreplay Meredith."

She laughed. "I do, but your not exactly gentle all the time either mister," she said poking him in the chest. Well, he would give her that. He would pull her hair and bite her lip pretty hard at times, to some it would be considered being to rough but she'd never complained, even when he'd made her bleed that once. His eyes glazed over in memory before he shook his head just as his blood went a bit further south then he wanted it to.

"Rough foreplay huh?" he muttered before placing the knife in his waist band and pulling Meredith towards him. If she wanted to play it like that, he thought as he crashed his lips down onto hers so hard he'd be surprised if he didn't bruise them. He lightened up a little though, he didn't want it to seem like he had tried kissing her to death or raping their girl hero. Like he'd have to resort to that kind of force, but he knew she wasn't ready and even if she was he wasn't. Not that he'd tell her that, he'd never hear the end of it.

"That's a good -" Meredith gasped as she was forcefully pushed into a wall, her back arching some as she hit. "- start. You're going to have to do better then a little bruise though." Tom snorted, a little bruise his arse. He'd used quite a bit of strength to force her into the wall, he was surprised she had felt worse from the impact then she seemed. Either that or his little redbird was a rather kinky sort, probably from her Black and Slytherin roots.

Ten minutes latter Meredith half laid on the ground, her upper body supported by her arms as she breathed in and out heavily. The second cruciatus, lasting only ten second, maybe twenty, before being lifted, having been let up. Her clothes were ruffled and ripped. She had cuts over her arms, hands and upper chest. Tom wouldn't be surprised if she had bruises over most her arms and back. Even like this she still looked ravishing and he had a hard time controlling his baser urges.

"Tha-that," Meredith began. "Was kind of fun."

Tom blinked before bursting into laughter. She rolled her eyes and he calmed down looking at her with red eyes which held more emotion then she'd seen in a long time. It seemed his confession earlier had for lack of better term, cleared his conscience. "And I thought Bella was crazy."

"Hmm, don't compare me to that bitch Tom. I fully intend to introduce her to the spells I've learned from those books you gave me and the ones in chamber. Not to mention the Blacks were a very...colorful family. Their library is more interesting then I gave them credit for." Tom smiled.

"Of course not dear, you're much saner then Bellatrix. You should go now, I believe I have convincingly dealt with you." He had to stop a wince as he watched the redhead wince from pain as she moved a little. He made a point to never listen to the woman's hair brained ideas again. There was a saying, 'this is going to hurt me more then it's going to hurt you', he couldn't decide if it was true in this instance or not.

"Right, I'll see you soon." with a wink Meredith transformed into her Bengal form and shaking – not exactly from the curses either. He'd used physical force to do as she had advised more then magic. He could imagine it as she'd suggested more easily that way, but he made a point to remember to be extra gentle her the first time they went beyond heavy petting. Something that didn't exactly come naturally to him. – he watched her run out and then out the front of which was left cracked. Something he could easily blame on Bieber the House Elf.

As she left his eye of sight he sighed. His second life was clearly not going to be simple as he'd once thought. Not with Meredith Potter around, and he couldn't find it in himself to get rid of her. As he turned to leave he spotted Nagini swaying to an imaginary beat, whispering under her breath again.

_::Hatchlings, hatchlings, gonna have grand-hatchlings –:: _It went on from there, almost similar to the twinkle twinkle little star song, almost. He groaned and stormed out of the room. He had more pressing things to attend to, like finally punishing the Death Eaters for their marvelous blunder in Diagon Alley.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey guys, I am so sorry it took me so long. I took a little break and then things got complicated. My internet had to be fixed, took two days almost and then on the seventeenth I had my nineteenth birthday. I am now the proud owner of the complete Harry Potter movie collection. There was a lot of Harry Potter that day, even my cake was HP themed. After that my cat, Lily, had her kittens, on the twenty-first. Five kittens, they are adorable. I am thinking of naming one Harry, and one Tom – assuming any are boys. Unfortunately I already have six other cats so I am only allowed to keep one from the litter. It's kinda sad. **

**Also I apologize if Meredith seems a little out of character, it's rather late right now and I wanted to get this down for you all. The only scene I was a bit weary of was where she whizzed on Snape's robes. It was a last minute add and only remains because I think it's funny, and I think you all will as well.  
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**Anyways I hope you all liked this chapter and I once again apologize for the long wait. **


	17. The Return

**Title:** Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
><strong>**Summery: **FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

****Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.  
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**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

****Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!****

********A/N 4/24/12: So here is chapter 16, hopefully you all enjoy it. The first scene or two are completely oringal but the last part of the chapter is taken from HBP Chapter The Seceret Riddle and like always there are added dialog and thoughts from Meredith so it's best you don't skip over it too much. Thank you all for for the reviews as well, I hope to get as many this chapter as last chapter. Enjoy! ******  
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><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 16: The Return. **

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore had never felt so old before. He had felt depressed, sad, and like a failure many times but he would admit he felt all of this rolled into one as he sat behind his desk, Fawkes looking at him with what could be discerned as pity. Pity for what exactly was unknown, but he didn't truly mind, he was to busy thinking of his biggest failures to date.

Gellert, Ariana, his Mother, father, brother, Tom, Severus, the Potters, Sirius, Meredith – he'd even failed Remus to some extent. As he stared at Severus and Remus who sat in front of him, their chairs almost feet apart. Tonks stood beside Remus, her hair a wispy gray, her eyes even sadder then before. The moment Severus had found him yesterday evening he had known something was grievously wrong. He had told Severus where he'd be in case of emergency but he had not expected one to occur in the two days he was gone.

If only Severus had known about the attack before it happened, but from what Severus had just told them Voldemort was not very trusting of the Potions Master at all. He supposedly knew of his loyalties, if the Dark Lord was being completely truthful or not Severus did not know. Six adults had died in Diagon Alley, including Mundungus Fletcher. He had been a very interesting order member, but also a good man despite his way of living.

There had also been ten students tragedies – Evan Abercrombie, Jessica Delaney, Jason Hart, Megan Jones, Sadie Fawcett, Terry Boot, Dean Thomas, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Patricia Stimpson, and Susan Bones. Ms. Delaney and Mr. Hart were the main problem though, being Muggle-Borns their families would be especially distraught and in the end they often had to Obliviate the magical world existence from their mind and give them a new muggle reason for their child's death. He'd only seen it done once with Myrtle Hale's muggle parents and little sister and brother.

Some had tried to fight, others were simply caught in the cross fire. Many at Hogwarts were grieving for them, many had lost friends in those ten, boyfriends or girlfriends and even sisters and brothers. Ginny Weasley was a noticeable wreak over Dean's death, not even her brothers or Ms. Granger could calm her down. Mr. Abercrombie had left behind a brother, Euan who was a second year, and Susan Bones had a little cousin at home, being cared for by extended family who were disowned squibs, the only family the young Hufflepuff had left.

The most pressing issue though was the capture of Meredith Potter. He knew this was terrible indeed and Severus had returned rather rigidly after talking to the Dark Lord. Smelling of urine for some odd reason. He hadn't even stopped to answer the Headmasters questions simply stormed to his private rooms and showered, many thought they smelled burning fabric and urine as well coming from the rooms but no one knew why since Severus refused to answer anything concerning that tidbit of information.

When a night had passed he had fire called Remus and Tonks. Tonks being an Auror and on guard around Hogwarts and Diagon Alley and Remus because he was the last marauder and had a right to be here. He knew Remus and Meredith's relationship was strained, with Sirius' death but he also knew they were a lot closer then what meets the eye. But why wouldn't they be, he was the last link to her parents and Godfather. He was every bit important to her as Sirius had been in reality and Remus felt much the same way. Remus had not been happy that he had waited until the next day to call though and it showed with his worried yet angry disposition.

"Albus, what are we going to do to get Merry back?" Remus asked, his voice a mix between polite and demanding. Albus stared for a few more moments and sighed.

"My dear boy, it is difficult but I am unsure myself. I never thought this would happen but maybe I should have, after all hindsight and all. I shouldn't have left the school." Remus growled, his teeth clinched in frustration.

"So you're just going to give up! Let her rot with him, who knows what he could be doing to her!" he snapped and Severus snorted.

"He's probably defiling her as we speak half-breed," Severus snapped with a sneer. Remus stood quickly and rounded on Snape only to be held back by dainty pale hands he knew belonged to Tonks.

"Remus I have no plans to allow Meredith to rot as you so put it." Albus looked at both boys over his glasses as Remus returned to his seat with a bit of persuasion from Tonks. "And that was quite inappropriate and uncalled for Severus."

Severus slumped some in his seat. "I apologize Headmaster."

"Accepted but it is not I you need to apologize too," Albus replied and Severus sneered before looking at Remus.

"I won't say it, but know I...repent my words." Remus snorted and turned away and back to Albus.

"You were saying Headmaster?" Remus asked, more calmly then before.

"A Portkey would be the best bet, the only problem is getting it to Meredith." Albus pulled out a small bag of lemon drops causing them all to raise eyebrows. Remus gripped his hands into fist, if he asked them if they wanted a lemon drop at a time like this then he was going to tare that man apart. "This has already been used for the Portkey. Our best bet is for Severus to get close to her confinements and pass them to her. The only fall back would be Voldemort realizing it was Severus and disposing of him." Severus stiffened.

"The Dark Lord does not trust me Albus, it is unlikely I can find Potter at all. My attempts to get the information yesterday failed astonishingly." Remus smirked as he turned to his old school mate.

"I heard, something about urine, how did you come to smell of urine Severus?" he asked almost innocently and Severus sneered at the last marauder.

"How dare you – " he was interrupted by Albus though.

"Boys, this is not the time for petty squabbles. We have to think of getting Meredith back unharmed." Tonks looked at them and then her eyes lit up.

"What if I did it?" she asked and everyone looked at her, Remus' eyes grew comically wide.

"How do you purpose you do that Tonks?" Snape sneered the question having never been fond of the Metamorphmagus. The fact she was related to Black not helping her case. Tonks glared.

"I'm a Metamorphmagus, I can make myself look like any of the Death Eaters, I can get inside and get the key to Meredith." Tonks smiled. "Please, I can do this, I have too. She's family, just as much a Black as I am and Black's stick together."

"Together you say, then I suppose you'll be having tea with Bellatrix any day now?" Severus asked and Tonks eyes turned gray, her hair becoming a wavy black and her skin picking up only slightly in color. Her base form, a form that made her look strikingly like a true Black, like her mother Andromeda and her Aunt Bellatrix.

"Aunt Bellatrix won't be on the family tree for long. Meredith will be Lady Black next summer and if you think she is letting that disgrace stay on the family tree then your more ignorant then I thought!" Tonks began to rant. "Black's stick together, Bellatrix disgraced the Blacks the moment she tortured two Purebloods into insanity without proper reason or duel. Even more so when she killed the Head of the Family and last male Black. It's a crime punishable by death in the Blacks, my mother may have been disowned for marrying my father but the she is still a Black."

The three men looked at the usually calm and collected woman with surprise. Albus nodded.

"It is a good plan Nymphadora," Albus said and ignored the woman's glare and indignation grumble about her name. "But the problem lies with the mark."

Tonks face scrunched up, and she pulled up her left sleeve and after moments of concentration a outline began to form on it and then a very realistic replication of the mark appeared on her arm and she sneered at it. "Like this? It should be able to fool the Death Eaters, the problem is I doubt Vol-Voldemort would be fooled." Slowly the mark began to disappear and leave unblemished pale skin in it's wake.

"This may just work," Albus said smiling but Remus was still staring at the woman beside him.

"No, I don't like it. What if you're caught? I could loose both -" he stopped them and Tonks stared at him he eyes brightening to a pinkish color as if her spirits were going up with his words. She opened her mouth to speak when the door came crashing open, Hagrid had a injured cat in his arms which slowly began to turn back into a human body. It only took most a minute to recognize the bright red hair that could only belong to Meredith and the girls mother.

"Merry!" Remus and Tonks both exclaimed in unison and darted over to Hagrid who was just as shocked to see the cat turn into Meredith despite Minerva's words that the cat was not a cat at all. Minerva stood sightly in front of them and Albus wasted no time conjuring a stretcher and a long table which would do for now. At least until they got the girl to Madam Pomfrey.

Severus was frozen where he sat. He knew that cat, didn't he? It had to be the same one that had humiliated him so terribly yesterday but then it couldn't be? He had only got a glimpse of the cat but he could make out a lightning shaped mark on it's fur above it's right eye but the one from yesterday while being near identical hadn't one and he couldn't recall the color of that cat's eyes.

"Moony!" Meredith cried happily, making sure to play up her injuries and bit and wince as she spoke. She didn't like manipulating Remus like this or Tonks but it had to be done. As it was she didn't know if she would have them one day, after all she couldn't protect them when she wasn't fighting on their side. If she could get them to be neutral she wouldn't have to worry as much she supposed.

"Cub," Remus spoke smiling, but his eyes were taking in her injuries. Bruises, cuts and the state of her torn robes and messed up hair made him worry. "How did you? Did Padfoot – "

She smiled. "He began teaching me last year, during the summer before fifth year but after he died, I just wanted to become one in honor of him. It's been something I've been working on this summer. I guess all I needed was a little push." she chuckled, feeling sort of smug on the inside at how much easier it was to bend the truth.

Remus laughed as well, almost bitterly at that. "We'll have to come up with a nickname for you then, an official marauder, though I doubt you'll be much for the pranking part. So much like your mother."

Meredith smiled, but on the inside she was frowning. Her parents were a sore subject for her now, before she felt happy to hear mention of them but now it felt sort of like betrayal. Would her parents hate her, would mother truly be proud and was she truly anything like her. She didn't know what to think with the way she was now days.

"My dear girl, I am happy to see you have returned. Marvelous display of magic, I dear say." Meredith turned to Dumbledore, but was careful not to look him in the eye for long. Her shields would most likely protect her from Snape but she wasn't powerful enough to protect from the Headmaster if he was truly trying yet. "I must ask you though, forgive me for being tactless, but did anyone rape you?"

Tonks gasped as Remus growled, and Meredith's eyes opened impossibly wide and her mouth opened in her shock. Not even she had been expecting that question, especially not so bluntly. She shook her head after a minute.

"No," she said and part of her wanted to curse the old man for even suggesting that. Like Tom would let those fowl followers touch her like that, like Tom would have to force her. It was absurd! The other part understood his worry, since it was something she knew happened a lot in the first war. Maybe not by Voldemort himself most times but by the Death Eaters. There were sighs of relief all around and Albus turned to Minerva while Tonks and Remus talked quietly to Meredith.

"Minerva, how did you come by Ms. Potter?" he asked.

"It seems so impossible that she was able to make it from her location all the way here but she did. I was wondering the ground in my cat form when I came across the injured and exhausted Bengal cat, a little smaller then me. Obviously not full grown, as I got closer I noticed the marking in her fur and asked her who she was, in my belief that this was not a normal cat." Minerva shook her head. "I was right to assume so. She answered me back weakly and I transformed back and got Hagrid who carried her up here with me."

"I see," he said nodding. It was truly remarkable, but not unlike Tom to underestimate Meredith's power but her wounds seemed strange to him. Not to mention she didn't seem at all in shock or terrified. She seemed rather calm, a bit to calm but then she had always handled unpleasant things well. "Let us be joyous that Meredith has returned to us alive and otherwise, unharmed."

"Unharmed?" Minerva asked with a snort. "Have you seen the poor girl looks like she'd been through a battle and lost!"

"No, I believe she has won. She is alive is she not?"

"Headmaster," Remus began turning to them. "I wish to take Merry down to Madam Pomfrey if you don't mind." Albus nodded.

"As you wish, but before you go I wish to ask Meredith a question." Meredith looked at him, and he noticed not for the first time she avoided looking in his eyes for longer then a second. It was a mannerism he had seen before, every time he had been alone with or around Tom. It worried him ridiculously so.

"Yes Professor?" she asked.

"I know you must wish to sleep my dear but I must inquire onto how you came be at Hogwarts?" Meredith nodded, she had been expecting this.

"I ran a lot, and hitched rides when I could. I ended up in London, and ran to the leaky cauldron, I was able to follow a couple into Diagon where I – uh – " she blushed as she continued. "- took a broom and left some money on the display before flying to Hogsmeade and then I ran the rest of the way in my animagus form."

"And how did you get out of -" Knowing where he was going she answered, interrupting his question.

"I waited till he left and I transformed, for the first time and went through the bars of my cell in the basement, a make shift dungeon I guess. I snuck through the manor and darted out the front door after a house elf left. I guess it forgot to close the door completely." Albus nodded. It sounded all very plausible though a look at Severus told him the Potions Master wasn't buying it, at least not all of it. The man was almost as suspicious as Mad-Eye though.

"I see, thank you Meredith. I'll let Remus and Ms. Tonks take you to the Hospital wing now." He turned to Hagrid and Minerva. "Why don't you two accompany them. I believe you should let the Gryffindor's, especially Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Weasley know she has returned."

"And Neville too, if you wouldn't mind professor. I would ask you talk to Luna but I don't doubt she already has a inkling that I am safe. Luna's funny that way." Truth be told she was aware that Luna had a latent seer talent, not powerful enough to have prophecies or see into the future or past but she got feelings and had a way with seeing creatures no one else could. Chances were Luna wasn't all that worried about her because she knew she'd come back safe, it was only a guess though.

"I will Ms. Potter," Minerva said and Albus watched as the five left, Meredith held bridle style in Remus' arms as he carried her down. Severus was still sitting where he had been in the beginning he noticed as he turned around.

"You look troubled." Severus looked back impassively before nodding.

"When I went to talk to the Dark Lord, he was preoccupied," he began and Albus' eyebrows raised. There could be many meanings to that, had Meredith's lied of her not being raped or was it even worse then he'd suspected?

"How so?" he asked and Severus snorted.

"Not how you are thinking, no he had a cat with him. He seemed rather fond of it." He sneered at the reminder of the cat and the robes he had to burn upon his return. Those robes had been made of the most expensive cotton. The best for withstanding Potion fumes. "The cat look near identical to Potter, only I don't recall it's eye color nor it having the scar outline on it's fur as Potter does."

Albus hmm'd as he walked back behind his desk. This was troublesome news, but right now it was pure speculation. Severus wasn't even positive the cat was the same as Meredith, only that it looked similar. It could be a mere coincidence, or at least he could pretend it was for now.

"This is rather troublesome, but we have no proof that the cat in question is Meredith. We shall see I suppose," Albus said and Severus stood.

"Well, if this all Headmaster, I must be going."

"Hold on Severus, there is one more thing," Albus said. "This cat?"

Severus looked at the Headmaster and then his eyes narrowed, surely he wouldn't?

"Does it have anything to do with your robes being burned, and the urine smell?" Severus sneered.

"Good day Headmaster," he said and turned, his robes billowing as he left. As the door shut behind him Albus leaned back in his chair. Oh how things were changing, he could feel it. The most worrisome though was the letter he'd gotten from Unspeakable Meadows. He'd have to look into that before long, it wasn't everyday a Unspeakable sent you a missive.

**xXx**

"I can't believe this all happened!" Ginny exclaimed as she sat beside Hermione on the opposite side of Meredith who laid in a all too familiar hospital bed. On her right Ron and Neville sat. "All those people dead, and Dean..."

"I sorry about Dean Gin, I know you were dating him." Ginny gave her a watery smile before nodding.

"I know it may seem odd, but I'm not crying just for Dean. We weren't going to last, I was going break up with him before long anyways but for it to end like this, and all those other people. Susan was a good friend of mine, she helped me a lot to catch up with my studies in my second year." Ginny sighed. "I'm just happy you're alive. I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't come back alive."

"How did you get back anyways?" Hermione asked.

"Seriously, is it the time Hermione?" Ron asked. "I mean Mer must be happier to forget it."

Neville nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she didn't get away unscathed. No offense but you look like crap."

Meredith smiled. "None taken, and it's alright. I'm sorry I didn't tell you all but Sirius he began to teach me how to become an Animagus last summer. I've been working on it this summer and I finally got it today and was able to escape using my form."

"You're an animagus!" Ron exclaimed, shocked. "What's your form?"

"I can't believe you did that! It could have been dangerous," Hermione said her eyes wide.

"I think it's cool, and it saved her life so it can't be bad," Ginny said smiling and Hermione huffed.

"I'm a cat, when Madam Pomfrey lets me out I'll show you. I'll probably have to register with the ministry by the end of the year. Unfortunately," Meredith said smiling softly.

Her four friends nodded, understanding her wish not to register but also knew she could get in trouble if she didn't within two years of being an animagus. Usually it was a year but when the first war began in the seventies it was raised to two years. For next five minutes the five talked and then Ron mentioned Katie which had Meredith startled. She had known a few from their year had died, but nothing about Katie.

"What is it, did Katie get caught in the attack as well?" she asked and the four exchanged looks before shaking their heads. She genuinely did feel a little guilty about the students killed but it wasn't going to effect her choice either. She had chosen her side, well sort of. She was still neutral but if forced to choose she would choose Tom every time. After all, he still had every intention of keeping his side of the oath even if the oath was no longer in effect magically.

"No," Hermione began. "Not exactly."

"A cursed necklace happened to her mate," Ron said and Hermione sighed.

"What?"

"Katie was removed to St. Mungo's this morning. Her injuries, someone gave her some sort of cursed necklace. It almost killed her," Hermione explained and Meredith blinked.

"It's all over the school now," Ginny added.

It must have been really serious if Katie had been moved from Hogwarts too St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Meredith thought and she wondered how it had happened? Then it hit her like a ton of bricks, Malfoy. She was more sure now then ever that he was a Death Eater, and thought she had no place to condemn him she wanted to wallop her cousin for his stupidity because she knew Katie couldn't have possibly been the target.

"No one seems to know what exactly happened except Leanne though. She was there when Katie touched the necklace," Neville said and Meredith shook her head.

"So what happened? I mean you guys didn't see it did you?" The four shook their heads and Hermione answered.

"No, we were with you. I noticed them leaving moments before the attack though." She nodded to herself, her eyes sort of teary. It was no surprise, Hermione had always been rather sensitive. "We ran back to the castle after they took you, to get help and we came across Katie and Leanne. It was horrible Mer, she was just floating there screaming and then she hit the ground." Ron shivered at the memory.

"No one seems to know who did it, she was under the Imperius though, that's known," Ginny said.

"Oh, Malfoy knows, I'd bet my first born on it," said Ron and Meredith sighed while Hermione whacked the redheaded boy around the head.

"We don't know that though, wasn't he in detention when this happened?" Ginny asked.

"Like that would stop him," Ron countered while Neville and Hermione stayed silent and Meredith fought not to roll her eyes.

"Guys, this isn't the time," Hermione interrupted and then pulled a long dark wood out of her pocket which Meredith recognized at once as her wand. "Professor McGonagall gave this to me before we came to see you. We brought it back with us."

"Thanks Mione," she said as she took the offered wand and tucked it under her fluffy pillows. She had been allowed to change out of her wrecked clothes and now wore hospital pajamas's. Her new wand was safely hidden inside her bag with a notice-me-not charm.

Soon enough her friends were rushed out by Madam Pomfrey and Meredith laid in bed that night. She had wondered whether Dumbledore would cancel their lessons for Monday night, but having had no word to the contrary, she presented herself outside Dumbledore's office at eight o'clock, knocked, and was told to enter. She had been released from Poppy's care with trepidation, and now wore casual clothes; a green, thin, sweater top and a pair of snug black pants and boots.

Not to her surprise Dumbledore sat at his desk looking unusually tired; his hand was as black and burned as ever, but he smiled when he gestured to Meredith to sit down. The Pensieve was sitting on the desk again, casting silvery specks of light over the ceiling.

"You have had a busy time while I have been away," Dumbledore said. "I am over joyed to see you have recovered well my dear girl."

"I am, thank you sir." Dumbledore nodded.

"I'm sure you have also heard of the deaths that occurred. Ms. Bones I was under the impression she was a friend of yours. Not to leave out Mr. Thomas? I also assume you've heard of Ms. Bell's accident."

"Yes, sir I had heard." Meredith nodded. "How is she?"

"Still very unwell, although she was relatively lucky. She appears to have brushed the necklace with the smallest possible amount of skin; there was a tiny hole in her glove. Had she put it on, had she even held it in her ungloved hand, she would have died, perhaps instantly. Luckily Professor Snape was able to do enough to prevent a rapid spread of the curse —"

"I am sorry sir, but why him? Snape is an excellent potions master but wouldn't this be more up Madam Pomfrey's alley?" she asked.

"Impertinent," said a soft voice from one of the portraits on the wall, and Phineas Nigellus Black, Sirius's great-great-grandfather and her great-grandfather, raised his head from his arms where he had appeared to be sleeping. "I would not have permitted a student to question the way Hogwarts operated in my day."

"Oh be quiet great-grandfather, I am aware of how to talk to my betters," she snapped and Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. It wasn't until then she realized how that could have sounded, it was almost a declaration she did not see Snape or Dumbledore as her better and while it was sort of true, especially with Snape, she did respect Dumbledore and care if only marginally.

"I see you've come into your roots girl," Phineas Nigellus said as he surveyed the new Black Heir and granddaughter of his favorite granddaughter.

"You've known of my heritage then?" she asked and Phineas snorted.

"How could I not silly girl. Dorea Black was a Black to the end, even after she fell for Charlus, who while respectable was as light as a Potter had ever been. Her son was little better, never showing much for his Black blood but you have features that are strictly that of a Black. You didn't think the sharpness in your face was that of a Potter?" The man scuffed. "Salazar no, the Potter's are sharp in their own way, Purebloods that they are and you look like one with that messy hair despite it being red, but your have the Black cheekbones and spirit."

Meredith thought the jab at her hair was a bit much, true it was messy but the longer it got the more manageable it became. It was the whole reason she'd stopped wearing it close to her neck in her second year and let it grow out.

"Yes, thank you, Phineas," said Dumbledore in a calming manner. " To answer your question, Professor Snape knows much more about the Dark Arts than Madam Pomfrey, Meredith. Anyway, the St. Mungo's staff are sending me hourly reports, and I am hopeful that Katie will make a full recovery in time."

"Where were you this weekend, sir?" Meredith asked, disregarding a strong feeling that she might be pushing her luck, a feeling apparently shared by Phineas Nigellus, who hissed softly but in an almost amused manner.

"I would rather not say just now," said Dumbledore. "However, I shall tell you in due course."

"You will?" said Meredith, startled. "Professor forgive me but wasn't It you who promised not to keep secrets from me. After what happened with Sir-last year?" Dumbledore sighed his eyes softening behind his half-moon glasses.

"Yes, I did didn't I?" questioned Dumbledore, withdrawing a fresh bottle of silver memories from inside his robes and uncorking it with a prod of his wand. "I apologize, but I believe it best that this one be kept. Just for a while longer my dear."

"Sir," said Meredith tentatively, keeping the anger from her voice as best she could. "I met Mundungus in Hogsmeade."

"Ah yes, I am already aware that Mundungus has – I'm sorry, had - been treating your inheritance with light-fingered contempt," said Dumbledore, frowning a little. "He has gone on to his next great adventure I am sorry to say since you accosted him outside the Three Broomsticks; I rather think he got the short end of the stick, as the muggles say. However, rest assured that he will not be making away with any more of Sirius's old possessions as he is now."

Meredith could tell a guilt trip when she heard one but she stared impassively. She would not feel any guilt for that thieving half-blood! She shook her head, she was starting to sound a bit too much like a Black, and Tom for her liking. She hadn't anything against half-bloods or Muggle-Borns, but Mundungus had stolen from her and for some reason that irked her more then she liked to admit.

"That mangy old half-blood has been stealing Black heirlooms?" said Phineas Nigellus, incensed; and he stalked out of his frame, undoubtedly to visit his portrait in number twelve, Grimmauld Place. She almost felt bad for Kreacher and whoever else was at Headquarters, almost.

"Professor," said Meredith, after a short pause, "did Ron or the others tell you what I told them at the first of the year? Their beliefs after Katie got hurt? About Draco Malfoy?"

"She told me of your suspicions, yes," said Dumbledore.

"And do you —?"

"I shall take all appropriate measures to investigate anyone who might have had a hand in Katie's accident," said Dumbledore.

"I see, I simply asked because he is my cousin. As the Black heir his problems become mine." Dumbledore gave her a strange look before speaking.

"I wonder if you'll entertain me this question, but how is it you've come to know so much about the Black's and your place as heir? I was unaware you were that interesting in Pureblooded customs."

Meredith saw her mistake right away, it wasn't like she could tell him she'd been reading up on her role as head of two, now four Pureblooded families. Much less that she was doing it inside the chamber of secrets with books Tom had undoubtedly left there when he was a student, and the ones Kreacher brought from the Black Library for her.

"I have always been a bit interested in the customs, and have read some about them since my second year. Sirius told me quite a bit before he died, even pointed out some good books on the subject that he was forced to read at my age. I figure if I am the heir of two very old Pureblooded families then certain things will be expected of me and loyalty to family is something I hold dear. I know Sirius did, as did my parents." She'd love to see him drawl some sort of evil purpose out of that, she had been careful to phrase it just right.

"Of course, I hope you wont misplace your loyalty to those who would follow the Dark though?" She took a chance to focus on Dumbledore's eyes as he looked at her over his glasses and nodded, with a small smile.

"Of course Headmaster, I only worry for Draco because he is my age. He hasn't done anything to warrant me not sticking up for him despite my suspicions. After all, I can't prove anything and he is only sixteen, To-Voldemort would have to be desperate to mark a teenager." Dumbledore nodded though she knew she would have to watch her back from now on, the blunder by those blasted Death Eaters had caused suspicions and she knew he would be keeping a close eye on her, and if not him then Snape.

"Well, now that we've had a nice chat we must move on to more pressing concerns," Dumbledore said with a grandfatherly grin. "The concerns I speak of being of course, Meredith, our lesson."

Meredith felt slightly resentful, but also exited. Tom had shared more about his past with her then she'd ever dreamed but seeing it was a whole other ballgame. So she didn't say anything but watched as Dumbledore poured the fresh memories into the Pensieve and began swirling the stone basin once more between his long-fingered hands.

"You will remember, I am sure, that we left the tale of Lord Voldemort's beginnings at the point where the handsome Muggle, Tom Riddle, had abandoned his witch wife, Merope, and returned to his family home in Little Hangleton. Merope was left alone in London, expecting the baby who would one day become Lord Voldemort."

"How do you know she was in London, sir? She could have been anywhere."

"Because of the evidence of one Caractacus Burke," said Dumbledore, "who, by an odd coincidence, helped found the very shop whence came the necklace we have just been discussing."

"Slytherin's locket?" she questioned but she already knew the answer to that. The fact remained the locket was very old, having been Salazar's mother, and then his daughters. Serenity had died young, and it had returned to Salazar who upon his death the necklace was squandered by his son, Sauron instead of going to Serenity's daughter, Serene. Salazar was rather big about talking about himself and his life if she asked. Not to mention he had allowed her to read his journals if she so wished.

He swilled the contents of the Pensieve as Meredith had seen him swill them before, much as a gold prospector sifts for gold. Up out of the swirling, silvery mass rose a little old man revolving slowly in the Pensieve, silver as a ghost but much more solid, with a thatch of hair that completely covered his eyes.

"Yes indeed, we acquired it in curious circumstances. It was brought in by a young witch just before Christmas, oh, many years ago now. She said she needed the gold badly, well, that much was obvious. Covered in rags and pretty far along… Going to have a baby, see. She said the locket had been Slytherin's. Well, we hear that sort of story all the time, 'Oh, this was Merlin's, this was, his favorite teapot,' but when I looked at it, it had his mark all right, and a few simple spells were enough to tell me the truth. Of course, that made it near enough priceless. She didn't seem to have any idea how much it was worth. Happy to get ten Galleons for it. Best bargain we ever made!"

Dumbledore gave the Pensieve an extra-vigorous shake and Caractacus Burke descended back into the swirling mass of memory from whence he had come.

"He only gave her ten Galleons?" said Meredith indignantly. "That...that's criminal! How, why – it's just so terrible!"

"Caractacus Burke was not famed for his generosity," said Dumbledore. "So we know that, near the end of her pregnancy, Merope was alone in London and in desperate need of gold, desperate enough to sell her one and only valuable possession, the locket that was one of Marvolo's treasured family heirlooms."

"But she could do magic!" said Meredith impatiently. "She could have got food and everything for herself by magic, couldn't she?"

"Ah," said Dumbledore, "perhaps she could. But it is my belief — I am guessing again, but I am sure I am right — that when her husband abandoned her, Merope stopped using magic. I do not think that she wanted to be a witch any longer. Of course, it is also possible that her unrequited love and the attendant despair sapped her of her powers; that can happen. In any case, as you are about to see, Merope refused to raise her wand even to save her own life."

"She wouldn't even stay alive for her son?" Meredith asked. She could understand Merope, really she could, but she couldn't understand the woman choosing her heart break over her son. She knew Merope had loved her baby, all mothers love their babies it just seemed so unreal to her that heartbreak could result in the weakness that resulted in Merope not using magic to make sure she was alive for her son. To make sure her son lived on after birth even if she didn't.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "Could you possibly be feeling sorry for Lord Voldemort?"

"Yes," said Meredith quickly ignoring Dumbledore's stunned look, "Everyone deserves to have their parents, to be loved, but she had a choice. I just can't understand why she didn't choose her life with her son, not like my mother —"

"Your mother had a choice too," said Dumbledore gently.

"You right, she did but the circumstances are different. My mother gave her life for mine, because she couldn't live with herself if she let her baby die for selfish reasons such as saving herself."

"Yes, Merope Riddle chose death in spite of a son who needed her, but do not judge her too harshly, Meredith. She was greatly weakened by long suffering and she never had your mother's courage. And now, if you will stand…"

"Where are we going?" Meredith asked, not not bother to clarify that she wasn't judging Merope, simply confused by her choices as Dumbledore joined her at the front of the desk.

"This time," said Dumbledore, "we are going to enter my memory. I think you will find it both rich in detail and satisfyingly accurate. After you, Meredith…"

Meredith bent over the Pensieve; her face broke the cool surface of the memory and then she was falling through darkness again… Seconds later, her feet hit firm ground; she opened her eyes and found that she and Dumbledore were standing in a bustling, old-fashioned London street.

"There I am," said Dumbledore brightly, pointing ahead of them to a tall figure crossing the road in front of a horse-drawn milk cart.

This younger Albus Dumbledore's long hair and beard were auburn much like the memory she'd seen from the Diary Riddle in second year. Having reached their side of the street, he strode off along the pavement, drawing many curious glances due to the flamboyantly cut suit of plum velvet that he was wearing.

"Nice suit, sir," said Meredith with a wince, before she could stop himself, but Dumbledore merely chuckled as they followed his younger self a short distance, finally passing through a set of iron gates into a bare courtyard that fronted a rather grim, square building surrounded by high railings. He mounted the few steps leading to the front door and knocked once. After a moment or two, the door was opened by a scruffy girl wearing an apron.

"Good afternoon. I have an appointment with a Mrs. Cole, who, I believe, is the matron here?"

"Oh," said the bewildered-looking girl, taking in Dumbledore's eccentric appearance. "Um… just a mo'… MRS. COLE!" she bellowed over her shoulder.

Meredith heard a distant voice shouting something in response. The girl turned back to Dumbledore. "Come in, she's on 'er way."

Dumbledore stepped into a hallway tiled in black and white; the whole place was shabby but spotlessly clean. Meredith and the older Dumbledore followed. Before the front door had closed behind them, a skinny, harassed-looking woman came scurrying toward them. She had a sharp-featured face that appeared more anxious than unkind yet stern, and she was talking over her shoulder to another aproned helper as she walked toward Dumbledore. She reminded Meredith a little of her Aunt Petunia, much to her distaste.

"… and take the iodine upstairs to Martha, Billy Stubbs has been picking his scabs and Eric Whalley's oozing all over his sheets — chicken pox on top of everything else," she said to nobody in particular, and then her eyes fell upon Dumbledore and she stopped dead in her tracks, looking as astonished as if a giraffe had just crossed her threshold.

"Good afternoon," said Dumbledore, holding out his hand. Mrs. Cole simply gaped.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore. I sent you a letter requesting an appointment and you very kindly invited me here today."

Mrs. Cole blinked. Apparently deciding that Dumbledore was not a hallucination, she said feebly, "Oh yes. Well — well then — you'd better come into my room. Yes."

She led Dumbledore into a small room that seemed part sitting room, part office. It was as shabby as the hallway and the furniture was old and mismatched. She invited Dumbledore to sit on a rickety chair and seated herself behind a cluttered desk, eyeing him nervously.

"I am here, as I told you in my letter, to discuss Tom Riddle and arrangements for his future," said Dumbledore.

"Are you family?" asked Mrs. Cole.

"No, I am a teacher," said Dumbledore. "I have come to offer Tom a place at my school."

"What school's this, then?"

"It is called Hogwarts," said Dumbledore. Meredith was sure this only made the woman more suspicious since she was blinking and then had her stern blue eyes narrowed.

"And how come you're interested in Tom?"

"We believe he has qualities we are looking for."

"You mean he's won a scholarship? How can he have done? He's never been entered for one."

"Well, his name has been down for our school since birth —"

"Who registered him? His parents?"

There was no doubt that Mrs. Cole was an inconveniently sharp woman. Apparently Dumbledore thought so too, for Meredith now saw him slip his wand out of the pocket of his velvet suit, at the same time picking up a piece of perfectly blank paper from Mrs. Cole's desktop.

"Here," said Dumbledore, waving his wand once as he passed her the piece of paper, "I think this will make everything clear."

Mrs. Cole's eyes slid out of focus and back again as she gazed intently at the blank paper for a moment.

"That seems perfectly in order," she said placidly, handing it back. Then her eyes fell upon a bottle of gin and two glasses that had certainly not been present a few seconds before.

"Er — may I offer you a glass of gin?" she said in an extra-refined voice.

"Thank you very much," said Dumbledore, beaming.

It soon became clear that Mrs. Cole was no novice when it came to gin drinking. Pouring both of them a generous measure, she drained her own glass in one gulp. Smacking her lips frankly, she smiled at Dumbledore for the first time, and he didn't hesitate to press his advantage.

It was almost too shocking to see Dumbledore using magic on a muggle but she reminded herself that in his one hundred and fifty some odd years the Headmaster must have gotten into some sort of trouble. Frankly there was no way he had always been the Muggle-loving man he was now.

"I was wondering whether you could tell me anything of Tom Riddle's history? I think he was born here in the orphanage?"

"That's right," said Mrs. Cole, helping herself to more gin. "I remember it clear as anything, because I'd just started here myself. New Year's Eve and bitter cold, snowing, you know. Nasty night. And this girl, not much older than I was myself at the time, came staggering up the front steps. Well, she wasn't the first. We took her in, and she had the baby within the hour. And she was dead in another hour."

Mrs. Cole nodded impressively and took another generous gulp of gin. It left a bad taste in her mouth to see the woman talking so nonchalantly about a persons death but then hadn't she done the same before? With Dung, and she hadn't shown that much remorse for the lives lost in the attack had she? It might make her a bad person but she was far from impressed or happy over their deaths – except maybe Mundungus.

"Did she say anything before she died?" asked Dumbledore. "Anything about the boy's father, for instance?"

"Now, as it happens, she did," said Mrs. Cole, who seemed to be rather enjoying herself now, with the gin in her hand and an eager audience for her story.

"I remember she said to me, 'I hope he looks like his papa,' and I won't lie, she was right to hope it, because she was no beauty — and then she told me he was to be named Tom, for his father, and Marvolo, for her father — yes, I know, funny name, isn't it? We wondered whether she came from a circus — and she said the boy's surname was to be Riddle. And she died soon after that without another word." She shook her head.

"Well, we named him just as she'd said, it seemed so important to the poor girl, but no Tom nor Marvolo nor any kind of Riddle ever came looking for him, nor any family at all, so he stayed in the orphanage and he's been here ever since."

Mrs. Cole helped herself, almost absentmindedly, to another healthy measure of gin. Two pink spots had appeared high on her cheekbones. Then she said, "He's a funny boy."

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "I thought he might be."

"He was a funny baby too. He hardly ever cried, you know. And then, when he got a little older, he was… odd."

Meredith couldn't help but snort. She thought that was odd, she knew for a fact many babies were quiet, she herself had never been one to cry at all hours of the night from the few stories she'd gotten from Sirius and Remus. Her Aunt Petunia had also complained of her being freakishly quiet while her precious Duddy-kins was crying ever hour of the day – of course in their mind it was her fault their wonderful son was crying so much.

"Odd in what way?" asked Dumbledore gently.

"Well, he —" But Mrs. Cole pulled up short, and there was nothing blurry or vague about the inquisitorial glance she shot Dumbledore over her gin glass.

"He's definitely got a place at your school, you say?"

"Definitely," said Dumbledore.

"And nothing I say can change that?"

"Nothing," said Dumbledore.

"You'll be taking him away, whatever?"

"Whatever," repeated Dumbledore gravely.

She squinted at him as though deciding whether or not to trust him. Apparently she decided she could, because she said in a sudden rush, "He scares the other children."

"You mean he is a bully?" asked Dumbledore.

"I think he must be," said Mrs. Cole, frowning slightly, "but it's very hard to catch him at it. There have been incidents… Nasty things…"

Dumbledore did not press her, though Meredith could tell that he was interested. She took yet another gulp of gin and her rosy cheeks grew rosier still.

"Billy Stubbs's rabbit… well, Tom said he didn't do it and I don't see how he could have done, but even so, it didn't hang itself from the rafters, did it?"

Meredith raised an eyebrow and thought of asking Tom about that. What on earth had this Stubbs kid done to incite such a thing, but she knew Tom never did anything without a motivation. It was safe to say he was same at eleven.

"I shouldn't think so, no," said Dumbledore quietly, it was easy for Meredith to tell he was spooked by this news.

It made her wonder if the man had judged him as being evil and next Dark Lord before he'd even began Hogwarts. She was making no excuses for Tom, she knew right and wrong but it wasn't right for the Headmaster to make that decision on one meeting. She strongly believed Tom might have still been redeemable if the Headmaster had only taken him out the environment that had molded him into the man he was today.

"But I'm jiggered if I know how he got up there to do it. All I know is he and Billy had argued the day before. And then"— Mrs. Cole took another swig of gin, slopping a little over her chin this time — "on the summer outing — we take them out, you know, once a year, to the countryside or to the seaside — well, Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop were never quite right afterwards, and all we ever got out of them was that they'd gone into a cave with Tom Riddle. He swore they'd just gone exploring, but something happened in there, I'm sure of it. And, well, there have been a lot of things, funny things…"

She looked around at Dumbledore again, and though her cheeks were flushed, her gaze was steady. "I don't think many people will be sorry to see the back of him."

"You understand, I'm sure, that we will not be keeping him permanently?" said Dumbledore. "He will have to return here, at the very least, every summer."

"Oh, well, that's better than a whack on the nose with a rusty poker," said Mrs. Cole with a slight hiccup. She got to her feet, and Meredith was impressed to see that she was quite steady, even though two-thirds of the gin was now gone. "I suppose you'd like to see him?"

"Very much," said Dumbledore, rising too.

She led him out of her office and up the stone stairs, calling out instructions and admonitions to helpers and children as she passed. The orphans, Meredith saw, were all wearing the same kind of grayish tunic. They looked reasonably well-cared for, but there was no denying that this was a grim place in which to grow up. Many had expressions devoid of emotion, she wouldn't doubt that Tom wasn't the only sociopath or psychopath this place had grown. It was also a stark reminder of her time with the Dursley's, she had worn expressions near identical until Hogwarts and then every summer after.

"Here we are," said Mrs. Cole, as they turned off the second landing and stopped outside the first door in a long corridor. She knocked twice and entered.

"Tom? You've got a visitor. This is Mr. Dumberton — sorry, Dunderbore. He's come to tell you — well, I'll let him do it."

Meredith and the two Dumbledores entered the room, and Mrs. Cole closed the door on them. It was a small bare room with nothing in it except an old wardrobe and an iron bedstead. The room was a bit like her own room at the Dursley's except she had a desk and lamp, and few other things from her time at Hogwarts. A boy was sitting on top of the gray blankets, his legs stretched out in front of him, holding a book.

There was no trace of the Gaunts in Tom Riddle's face except for his mother's green eyes. Merope had got her dying wish: He was his handsome father in miniature, tall for eleven years old, dark-haired, and pale with charming if not hollow eyes. So similar yet so very different then the Tom she was used to.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in Dumbledore's eccentric appearance. There was a moment's silence.

"How do you do, Tom?" said Dumbledore, walking forward and holding out his hand.

The boy hesitated, then took it, and they shook hands. Dumbledore drew up the hard wooden chair beside Riddle, so that the pair of them looked rather like a hospital patient and visitor.

"I am Professor Dumbledore."

"'Professor'?" repeated Riddle. He looked wary. "Is that like 'doctor'? What are you here for? Did she get you in to have a look at me?"

He was pointing at the door through which Mrs. Cole had just left. It was obvious to Meredith from the slight fear in the young Tom's eyes that he was used to having visitors that were of the 'doctor' verity. Knowing this was an orphanage and she had seen a nun or two on the way here, and taking into consideration the era, she could only assume that he'd been thought to be possessed by the devil a time or two.

Knowing how little Purebloods knew of the Muggle world she could only assume Dumbledore had never come to this conclusion. Many underestimated the lengths Muggle's would go to understand or eradicate something they didn't like or didn't understand. From her own childhood she understood all too well.

"No, no," said Dumbledore, smiling.

"I don't believe you," said Riddle. "She wants me looked at, doesn't she? Tell the truth!"

He spoke the last three words with a ringing force that was almost shocking. It was a command, and it sounded as though he had given it many times before. His eyes had widened and he was glaring at Dumbledore, who made no response except to continue smiling pleasantly. After a few seconds Riddle stopped glaring, though he looked, if anything, warier still.

"Who are you?"

"I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I work at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school — your new school, if you would like to come."

Riddle's reaction to this was most surprising. He leapt from the bed and backed away from Dumbledore, looking furious.

"You can't kid me! The asylum, that's where you're from, isn't it? 'Professor,' yes, of course — well, I'm not going, see? That old cat's the one who should be in the asylum. I never did anything to little Amy Benson or Dennis Bishop, and you can ask them, they'll tell you!"

"I am not from the asylum," said Dumbledore patiently. "I am a teacher and, if you will sit down calmly, I shall tell you about Hogwarts. Of course, if you would rather not come to the school, nobody will force you —"

"I'd like to see them try," sneered Tom and she had to hide her small amused smile. She knew Dumbledore, the one next to her was watching her reaction almost like a hawk.

"Hogwarts," Dumbledore went on, as though he had not heard Riddle's last words, "is a school for people with special abilities —"

"I'm not mad!"

"I know that you are not mad. Hogwarts is not a school for mad people. It is a school of magic."

There was silence. Riddle had frozen, his face expressionless, but his eyes were flickering back and forth between each of Dumbledore's, as though trying to catch one of them lying.

"Magic?" he repeated in a whisper.

"That's right," said Dumbledore.

"It's… it's magic, what I can do?"

"What is it that you can do?"

"All sorts," breathed Riddle. A flush of excitement was rising up his neck into his hollow cheeks; he looked fevered and his eye actually showed emotion, happiness, they seemed brighter, lighter then before. "I can make filings move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want them to do, without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who annoy me. I can make them hurt if I want to."

His legs were trembling. He stumbled forward and sat down on the bed again, staring at his hands, his head bowed as though in prayer.

"I knew I was different," he whispered to his own quivering fingers. "I knew I was special. Always, I knew there was something."

"Well, you were quite right," said Dumbledore, who was no longer smiling, but watching Riddle intently. "You are a wizard."

Riddle lifted his head. His face was transfigured: There was a wild happiness upon it, yet for some reason it did not make him better looking; on the contrary, his finely carved features seemed somehow rougher, his expression almost bestial. The lightness that had been on his face before, making him look every bit a happy eleven year old boy was now replaced with the darker look from the beginning.

"Are you a wizard too?"

"Yes, I am."

"Prove it," said Riddle at once, in the same commanding tone he had used when he had said, "Tell the truth."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "If, as I take it, you are accepting your place at Hogwarts —"

"Of course I am!"

"Then you will address me as 'Professor' or 'sir.'"

Though she knew Tom was being rude by all intents and meanings she thought Dumbledore was as well. The boy was eleven, not all eleven year olds were polite on first meeting and he wasn't his Professor yet.

Riddle's expression hardened for the most fleeting moment before he said, in an unrecognizably polite voice, "I'm sorry, sir. I meant — please, Professor, could you show me —?"

For a fleeting moment Meredith was sure that Dumbledore was going to refuse, that he would tell Tom there would be plenty of time for practical demonstrations at Hogwarts, that they were currently in a building full of Muggles and must therefore be cautious. To her surprise, however, Dumbledore drew his wand from an inside pocket of his suit jacket, pointed it at the shabby wardrobe in the corner, and gave the wand a casual flick.

The wardrobe burst into flames.

Riddle jumped to his feet; Meredith could hardly blame him for howling in shock and rage; all his worldly possessions must be in there. But even as Riddle rounded on Dumbledore, the flames vanished, leaving the wardrobe completely undamaged.

Riddle stared from the wardrobe to Dumbledore; then, his expression greedy, he pointed at the wand. "Where can I get one of them?"

"All in good time," said Dumbledore. "I think there is something trying to get out of your wardrobe." Meredith looked on confused, what could he mean by that? But sure enough, a faint rattling could be heard from inside it. For the first time, Tom looked outright frightened.

"Open the door," said Dumbledore.

Riddle hesitated, then crossed the room and threw open the wardrobe door. On the topmost shelf, above a rail of threadbare clothes, a small cardboard box was shaking and rattling as though there were several frantic mice trapped inside it.

"Take it out," said Dumbledore.

Tom took down the quaking box. He looked unnerved.

"Is there anything in that box that you ought not to have?" asked Dumbledore.

Tom threw Dumbledore a long, clear, calculating look. "Yes, I suppose so, sir," he said finally, in an expressionless voice.

"Open it," said Dumbledore.

Riddle took off the lid and tipped the contents onto his bed without looking at them. Meredith, who had expected something much more exciting, saw a mess of small, everyday objects: a yo-yo, a silver thimble, and a tarnished mouth organ among them. Once free of the box, they stopped quivering and lay quite still upon the thin blankets.

"You will return them to their owners with your apologies," said Dumbledore calmly, putting his wand back into his jacket. "I shall know whether it has been done. And be warned: Thieving is not tolerated at Hogwarts."

Meredith couldn't help but let her face harden a bit along with Tom's who did not look remotely abashed; he was still staring coldly and appraising at Dumbledore. At last he said in a colorless voice, "Yes, sir."

No, Meredith was not at all impressed with how Dumbledore was handling this. True children needed to be handled with a firm hand but she didn't think this was the proper method. Especially not with an orphan boy. If what he was telling Tom was true then the same thing must be said for Meredith. She could clearly remember taking her cousins nick-knacks and hoarding them for her own. She never got anything of her own, so she took things to make up for it. She didn't steal at Hogwarts but she had money where she was sure the Gaunts had none any longer, or they would have been more well off.

"At Hogwarts," Dumbledore went on, "we teach you not only to use magic, but to control it. You have — inadvertently, I am sure — been using your powers in a way that is neither taught nor tolerated at our school. You are not the first, nor will you be the last, to allow your magic to run away with you. But you should know that Hogwarts can expel students, and the Ministry of Magic — yes, there is a Ministry — will punish lawbreakers still more severely. All new wizards must accept that, in entering our world, they abide by our laws."

"Yes, sir," said Riddle again.

It was impossible to tell what he was thinking; his face remained quite blank as he put the little cache of stolen objects back into the cardboard box. When he had finished, he turned to Dumbledore and said baldly, "I haven't got any money."

She couldn't help herself from openly chuckling then. She had said much the same thing to Hagrid on the rock her uncle had carted them off to before her first year.

"That is easily remedied," said Dumbledore, drawing a leather money-pouch from his pocket. "There is a fund at Hogwarts for those who require assistance to buy books and robes. You might have to buy some of your spellbooks and so on secondhand, but —"

"Where do you buy spellbooks?" interrupted Riddle, who had taken the heavy money bag without thanking Dumbledore, and was now examining a fat gold Galleon.

"In Diagon Alley," said Dumbledore. "I have your list of books and school equipment with me. I can help you find everything —"

"You're coming with me?" asked Riddle, looking up.

"Certainly, if you —"

"I don't need you," said Riddle. "I'm used to doing things for myself, I go round London on my own all the time. How do you get to this Diagon Alley — sir?" he added, catching Dumbledore's eye.

Meredith thought that Dumbledore would insist upon accompanying Riddle, but once again she was surprised.

Dumbledore handed Tom the envelope containing his list of equipment, and after telling Tom exactly how to get to the Leaky Cauldron from the orphanage, he said, "You will be able to see it, although Muggles around you — non-magical people, that is — will not. Ask for Tom the barman — easy enough to remember, as he shares your name —"

Tom gave an irritable twitch, as though trying to displace an irksome fly.

"You dislike the name 'Tom'?"

"There are a lot of Toms," muttered Tom. Then, as though he could not suppress the question, as though it burst from him in spite of himself, he asked, "Was my father a wizard? He was called Tom Riddle too, they've told me."

"I'm afraid I don't know," said Dumbledore, his voice gentle.

"My mother can't have been magic, or she wouldn't have died," said Tom, more to himself than Dumbledore.

"It must've been him. So — when I've got all my stuff — when do I come to this Hogwarts?"

"All the details are on the second piece of parchment in your envelope," said Dumbledore. "You will leave from King's Cross Station on the first of September. There is a train ticket in there too."

Tom nodded. Dumbledore got to his feet and held out his hand again. Taking it, the handshake didn't last long and then he turned to leave just as Tom said, "I can speak to snakes. I found out when we've been to the country on trips — they find me, they whisper to me. Is that normal for a wizard?"

Meredith could tell that he had withheld mention of this strangest power until that moment, determined to impress. She had to admit it was rather impressive and since Dumbledore had stopped short with a strange look on his face as he exited the room she knew he thought so too.

"It is unusual," said Dumbledore, after a moment's hesitation turning back to face the young boy, "but not unheard of."

His tone was casual but his eyes moved curiously over Tom's face. They stood for a moment, man and boy, staring at each other.

"Good-bye, Tom. I shall see you at Hogwarts."

"I think that will do," said the white-haired Dumbledore at Meredith's side, and seconds later, they were soaring weightlessly through darkness once more, before landing squarely in the present-day office.

"Sit down," said Dumbledore, landing beside Meredith.

Meredith obeyed, her mind still full of what she had just seen.

"Tom believed it much quicker than I did — I mean, when you told him he was a wizard," said Meredith. "I didn't believe Hagrid at first, when he told me. I knew I was different but I didn't have a clue I was that different."

"Yes, he was perfectly ready to believe that he was — to use his word — 'special,'" said Dumbledore.

"Did you know — then?" asked Meredith, testing the old man.

"Did I know that I had just met the most dangerous Dark wizard of all time?" said Dumbledore. "No, I had no idea that he was to grow up to be what he is. However, I was certainly intrigued by him. I returned to Hogwarts intending to keep an eye upon him, something I should have done in any case, given that he was alone and friendless, but which, already, I felt I ought to do for others' sake as much as his.

"His powers, as you heard, were surprisingly well-developed for such a young wizard and — most interestingly and ominously of all — he had already discovered that he had some measure of control over them, and begun to use them consciously. And as you saw, they were not the random experiments typical of young wizards: He was already using magic against other people, to frighten, to punish, to control. The little stories of the strangled rabbit and the young boy and girl he lured into a cave were most suggestive… 'I can make them hurt if I want to… '"

"And he was a Parselmouth," interjected Meredith.

"Yes, indeed; a rare ability, and one supposedly connected with the Dark Arts, although as we know, there are Parselmouths among the great and the good too. In fact, his ability to speak to serpents did not make me nearly as uneasy as his obvious instincts for cruelty, secrecy, and domination."

"Time is making fools of us again," said Dumbledore, indicating the dark sky beyond the windows. "But before we part, I want to draw your attention to certain features of the scene we have just witnessed, for they have a great bearing on the matters we shall be discussing in future meetings."

"Firstly, I hope you noticed Tom's reaction when I mentioned that another shared his first name, 'Tom'?"

Meredith nodded.

"There he showed his contempt for anything that tied him to other people, anything that made him ordinary. Even then, he wished to be different, separate, notorious. He shed his name, as you know, within a few short years of that conversation and created the mask of 'Lord Voldemort' behind which he has been hidden for so long.

"I trust that you also noticed that Tom Riddle was already highly self-sufficient, secretive, and, apparently, friendless? He did not want help or companionship on his trip to Diagon Alley. He preferred to operate alone. The adult Voldemort is the same. You will hear many of his Death Eaters claiming that they are in his confidence, that they alone are close to him, even understand him. They are deluded. Lord Voldemort has never had a friend, nor do I believe that he has ever wanted one."

Meredith couldn't agree with that. Every child wants a friend but when you grow up in an environment where no one wants to be the friend of the freak then you slowly give up and close yourself off to protect yourself. Unlike her he hadn't opened it upon stepping into the new world presented to him and for some reason she wanted to blame Dumbledore for that.

"And lastly — I hope you are not too sleepy to pay attention to this, Meredith — the young Tom Riddle liked to collect trophies. You saw the box of stolen articles he had hidden in his room. These were taken from victims of his bullying behavior, souvenirs, if you will, of particularly unpleasant bits of magic. Bear in mind this magpie-like tendency, for this, particularly, will be important later.

Meredith was certain he was talking of Tom's Horcruxes, of which only a few remained. She didn't call him out on it though, she couldn't risk it.

"And now, it really is time for bed."

Meredith got to her feet. As she walked across the room, her eyes fell upon the little table on which Marvolo Gaunt's ring had rested last time, but the ring was no longer there, much to her annoyance. She had wanted to take the ring back to Tom, knowing it had value to him as it belonged to his mother once upon a time and the only reason Morfin had been in possession of it was Marvolo had taken it from her. Not to mention it was a Peverell heirloom as well, and she had some rights to it being she too was descended from the family and soon to be Lady of it. But that neither here nor there, she simply wanted to be able to return it to Tom.

"Yes, Meredith?" said Dumbledore, for Meredith had come to a halt.

"The ring's gone," said Meredith, looking around and then covered her shock and annoyance with a seemingly innocent if not stupid question. "But I thought you might have the mouth organ or something."

Dumbledore beamed at her, peering over the top of his half moon spectacles.

"Very astute, Meredith, but the mouth organ was only ever a mouth organ."

And on that enigmatic note he waved to Meredith, who understood herself to be dismissed. She walked quickly down to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, not wishing to chance going to the other entrance at this time, so close to the Slytherins and Snape. She would spend the next hour in there, maybe take a nap, she thought as she stood in front of the sink.

_::Open,:: _she hissed and watched as the skin opened and the slide appeared. She glared at the slimy slide responsible for her having to use so many cleaning spells before she'd learned of the stairs and second entrance. _::Descend.:: _she hissed and waited.

There was a sound, like old gears moving and then a staircase descended from the slide a few feet down and a metal ladder came out from the slide at the top. It didn't surprise her, it was really steep at the top, almost straight up and down until a few feet down. Making sure her bag – which she had the entire time simply there because she'd grabbed it as she'd left the hospital wing - was secure Meredith carefully descended down the ladder to the small ledge where the stairs began and began walking slowly down them – they were a bit wet and musky from being unused for so long.

Soon enough she was walking to the main chamber, look of disgust on her face as she passed a rat.


	18. Some Say It's Sick

**Title:**Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
>Summery: <strong>FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

**Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

**Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!**

****A/N 4/29/12: Hey, sorry it took so long, but I wasn't exactly able the last two days because of monthly cramps, if you get my meaning. I promise to have the next chapter up soon, because in all honesty this one was supposed to be a little longer but the last scene sort of snuck up on me thanks to my muse and this was the result. Hopefully I've done it justice, hard part comes when the others...well I can't say more or I'll give it away.****

**** Also to antonymous reviewer; I love Jazz and anyone else who mentioned interest in the kittens. Unfortunately the mommy cat isn't souly owned by me, but my little sister, though my cat, demon, was the baby daddy. So I don't have any say in who gets the ones we give away. Also while I have nothing against mentioning anyone to them as potential owners the main problem remains with location. I lived way way out south of West Virginia, and so am American if it wasn't obvious. In Mingo County, Lenore and it's basically the middle of nowhere. There isn't a grocery store for twenty minutes either way you go, though there is a gas station and pizza place along with the local school a mile up the road. So, those who would adopt the kittens in seven to eight months – they're only a week old right now – would have to live between Kentucky and Charleston and be able to come and get them or meet somewhere in between because the only one who drives in my family is my older sister and brother. But as I said, I have virtually no say where the cats go. ****

****Now moving on to something else. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter and now you may read this chapter, enjoy!****

****WARNING!: ANGST, VIOLENCE, TORTURE, DEATH! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.  
><strong>**

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><p><strong>Rumor Has It. <strong>

**Chapter 17: Some Say It's Sick.**

Voldemort paced in front of his throne, his Death Eaters, at least those responsible for the attack the day before stood gathered in front of him. His red eyes were narrowed, the slits where his nose should have been were flaring to the best of their ability. All in all he looked angry, and very dangerous. Many of the Death Eaters were shifting in uncomfortable silence. He would be lying if he said their fear didn't please him.

"You have all been called here today to...discuss," he stopped their, turning to face the assembled followers as he continued. "You have all been impertinent. King!" A rather lanky man sprung out of the group, instantly dropping to both knees in front of the snake-like man.

"Yes my Lord?" King asked and Voldemort sneered, his foot lashing out and hitting the man in the chin hard. It was rather brutish maybe, muggle some would say but he would make the exception this once and it would show just how angry he truly was with them. It wasn't like they were going to call him out on the muggle tactic.

"At least you still have manners, King. What did I tell you all Friday?" Voldemort asked as he moved to circle the downed Death Eater, his wand twirling in his left hand.

"M-my Lord, you told us that we were to attack the Village after the students had left, at six," the man said his mask having fallen off revealing a rather youthful appearance and pale blue eyes and tan skin.

"I did, didn't I," he said. "And why did I say this?"

"I-I don-don't re-recall my Lord," King stuttered and Voldemort snarled, sharply raising his wand.

"Crucio!" King screamed as the curse hit him and Voldemort chuckled as the man squirmed on the ground in front of him. He looked too his other followers as he held the man under the unforgivable.

"Do you all see, what will become of you should you disobey my orders?" Voldemort asked over Kings screams. "Now, does anyone recall why I scheduled the attack as I did?" There was silence besides Kings screams, and he observed the Death Eaters throwing each other looks and then a feminine looking one stepped forward.

"My Lord, forgive me for listening to Bellatrix's instructions. Many of us were under the impression it was your will that we leave earlier." The female, her voice giving it away, knelt and removed her hood and mask to reveal a woman no older then nineteen with pale skin, long straight black hair and a round slim face. She had sharp features and large chocolate brown eyes.

"I see, but that was not my question Ms. Parkinson," Voldemort said as he released King from the curse, leaving the man whimpering on the floor. He paused only for a moment to wonder if he'd broken the mans mind after only a minute or two. If so, then he'd have to make an example, large then he'd planed out of the man. He would have no weakness among his followers and it had been a long time since one of his followers were broken by a mere two minutes under a Crucio.

"Forgive me, if I recall My Lord the reason was simple. You did not wish to spill more magical blood then necessary and the students, the children..." He raised an eyebrow as the dark haired woman shot a sneer at Bellatrix who was openly glaring at Rebekkah Parkinson. A newer recruit. "...are our future. They will bring about the next generation of magic."

"Indeed," Voldemort said with a passive nod. "Tell me, what is so hard to understand about that? Did you know your attack has not only caused us needless resistance but has also nearly completely wiped out a very old and influential Pureblooded family." Voldemort motioned for Parkinson to raise and she did with a bow, replacing her mask and backing back into the group.

"My Lord, the Bones family are agai -" Voldemort glared.

"Crucio!" he hissed and Bellatrix collapsed, her screams as annoying as her insane yammering. "Do not begin to think you above me Bellatrix. The Bones are light, it is true but if they were neutral. Or even swayed to our way of thinking, it is after all much easier to appeal to a teenager then an adult. Do you see where I am going with this?"

The Death Eaters muttered amongst themselves and he released Bellatrix from the spell, the woman sat there, her large insane eyes glued to him as she panted.

"There is one more thing," he began. "You all attacked Meredith Potter, something I do not believe I gave you clearance to do. Actually if I recall, and I do, I plainly told you that Meredith was never to be touch. She is mine to do with as I see fit, you did not listen." He glared.

"Parkinson, do you wish to explain this to me?"

"I did not see much of Potter my Lord. I was busy fighting the Auror Tonks, but I did see the confrontation from a distance. I believed we should have left her where she lay stunned but Bellatrix..." Voldemort waved a hand to silence the girl and turned to the whimpering woman.

"My Lord, I was only doing your will." Voldemort laughed, sending a chill down their spines.

"Crucio!" he spat, and watched as the former Black thrashed under the spell. "My will you say, you will do my will when I say so Bellatrix but no one is to touch Potter. She is...no longer a problem to us."

"May I ask why?" Voldemort turned, ending the spell on Bellatrix to see Rodolphus.

"You may, but I will not elaborate. Meredith Potter is not to be bothered unless told so, maybe in time your question will become clear Rodolphus. Now I tire of this mockery before me. Leave." He turned walking up the step like area to his throne.

"My Lord, my brother-in-law?" Parkinson questioned as she remained behind and Voldemort stopped turned and stared at the drooling puddle of disgrace before him. Zachary King was the husband of Rebekkah's twin sister, Robbin, if he recalled correctly.

"Ah, yes." He raised his wand. "Avada Kadavra!" The green light speed free of the wand and collided with King, sending the man into a everlasting sleep. He raised an eyebrow at the Parkinson girl who sighed, and shook her head.

"I suppose it is a good thing Robbin is pregnant with twins." He heard her mutter and then turned to leave with the others, uncaring.

"Let this be a lesson for you all, and Rodolphus. Take your wife with you," Voldemort ordered as he sat in his chair and stroked Nagini who moved to coil around him protectively.

_::Was that wise?:: _Nagini asked as she flicked her tongue across his cheek. He sighed, his snake-like form melting back to his human appearance. _::You could have given away your intentions for Meredith. Your followers may not see her the way you do my Lord, I smelt many scents of hate, jealousy and distaste this night when she was brought up.::_

_::Do not worry Nagini, I am aware that my words could have a negative effect but all the more to weed out the bad eggs, so to say. Just out of curiosity who were these scents from?:: _he asked.

_::The Black Lady, mostly. She seems to hate the red-she-snake for some reason.:: _

_::I see. I shall keep an eye on Bella then.:: _Tom's eyes landed on the corpse of King and he sighed before turning to his familiar. _::Nagini would you like dinner?:: _

Nagini hissed in pleasure and slid from the throne and Tom and towards the broken corpse.

"Enjoy Nagini," Tom said as he stood and headed towards his study.

**xXx**

_That night he found himself in the dreamscape and went about waiting for Meredith to appear. It was rather unusual that she took longer then a few minutes to appear after he did, and vice versa. Without much waiting he walked over to his desk and as his back was turned he felt the room shift slightly and knew Meredith had arrived. _

"_Did you return to Hogwarts safely, Meredith?" Tom asked as he turned to meet Meredith as she appeared in the middle of the study, the room the dreamscape had chosen to take the illusion of this time. He would admit he was happy to see her again and healed at that. Meredith met his red eyes and grinned, something he was so unused to that it made him feel strange. He had to wonder if he would understand these emotions better when he destroyed the remaining Horcruxes – excluding Nagini of course. _

"_Everything went great, but Dumbledore..." Tom's eyes narrowed. _

"_Did he do something?" She shook her head. _

"_Not exactly, I think Snape and him may be suspicious of me. He seemed oddly...familiar and shocked when he saw my form." Meredith sighed as she took Toms hand and pulled him to a sofa against the far wall. _

"_I'll look into a remedy for the problem." Tom began. "I hadn't thought of this, if the cat doesn't show up again at the manor it may cause more problems." _

_Meredith nodded before speaking up again, her hand intertwined with Tom's has she spoke. "I had another lesson with Dumbledore today." _

_She wasn't that surprised when Tom's head snapped up from where he was staring at their intertwined hands. She had noticed he did that a lot, it was painfully obvious he wasn't used to such actions in the past. In a lot of ways she supposed Tom was a virgin when it came to true relationships and not the flings and manipulative ones he'd had in his youth. _

"_I see," Tom began. "He continued showing you memories then or did he begin teaching you something I couldn't tell you over tea?" Meredith smiled, amused at the mans bitterly sarcastic tone. _

"_He didn't show me a spell that could heat water," she said dryly, the amusement leaking through her voice despite her trying to keep it hidden. "He asked me how I was, just small talk really. Then we entered the memory." _

_Tom sneered. "And what was it this time? How I brushed my teeth before and after every meal?" Meredith raised an eyebrow. _

"_Do you?" she asked and the Dark Lord snorted. _

"_No, after every meal I do, before is just a bloody waste of time." Meredith chuckled. _

"_Of course," she said before sobering. "It was the day he went to the orphanage to meet you...would you like to see it?" Tom stared ahead his brows furrow as if thinking of something and she noticed he bit his lip once before turning to her and nodded. _

"_I would." Meredith nodded and stood up. Noticing Tom was about to get up too she moved in front of him and pushed him back down before moving to sit in his lap, her knee on either side of him. _

"_Well, this is creative," Tom said smirking and Meredith smirked back, leaning down to place a chaste kiss on his lips before moving back. Placing her hands on either side of his face she stared into his red eyes and then just like the last time they had done this she felt light and then the memory floated through what felt like both there minds. _

_**"I am here, as I told you in my letter, to discuss Tom Riddle and arrangements for his future," said Dumbledore.**_

_**"Are you family?" asked Mrs. Cole.**_

_**"No, I am a teacher," said Dumbledore. "I have come to offer Tom a place at my school."**_

_**"What school's this, then?"**_

_**"It is called Hogwarts," said Dumbledore. **_

_**"And how come you're interested in Tom?"**_

_**"We believe he has qualities we are looking for."**_

_**"You mean he's won a scholarship? How can he have done? He's never been entered for one."**_

_**"Well, his name has been down for our school since birth —"**_

_**"Who registered him? His parents?" **_

_Tom watched this all with an impassive face but on the inside he was confused. What was Dumbledore getting from this, the fact he was using magic on the woman made it that much more strange. It almost seemed like he had more knowledge of him back then then he was letting on. Though maybe he was looking to much into this. _

_**"I was wondering whether you could tell me anything of Tom Riddle's history? I think he was born here in the orphanage?"**_

_**"That's right," said Mrs. Cole, helping herself to more gin. "I remember it clear as anything, because I'd just started here myself. New Year's Eve and bitter cold, snowing, you know. Nasty night. And this girl, not much older than I was myself at the time, came staggering up the front steps. Well, she wasn't the first. We took her in, and she had the baby within the hour. And she was dead in another hour."**_

…_**."Now, as it happens, she did," said Mrs. Cole, who seemed to be rather enjoying herself now, with the gin in her hand and an eager audience for her story.**_

_**"I remember she said to me, 'I hope he looks like his papa,' and I won't lie, she was right to hope it, because she was no beauty — and then she told me he was to be named Tom, for his father, and Marvolo, for her father — yes, I know, funny name, isn't it? We wondered whether she came from a circus — and she said the boy's surname was to be Riddle. And she died soon after that without another word." She shook her head.**_

_**"Well, we named him just as she'd said, it seemed so important to the poor girl, but no Tom nor Marvolo nor any kind of Riddle ever came looking for him, nor any family at all, so he stayed in the orphanage and he's been here ever since."**_

_**Mrs. Cole helped herself, almost absentmindedly, to another healthy measure of gin. Two pink spots had appeared high on her cheekbones. Then she said, "He's a funny boy."**_

_**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "I thought he might be."**_

_**"He was a funny baby too. He hardly ever cried, you know. And then, when he got a little older, he was… odd."**_

_Tom snorted, odd indeed. He recalled most the babies that came into the orphanage cried and he had always hated it. It was a reminder of where he was and what he didn't have, the reason he detested crying and weakness so much, he supposed now that he actually thought about it. _

_'I don't think it's odd Tom,' he heard Meredith's mental voice at his side as he observed the memory. 'I wasn't that loud as a baby either.' _

_**"Billy Stubbs's rabbit… well, Tom said he didn't do it and I don't see how he could have done, but even so, it didn't hang itself from the rafters, did it?"**_

_**"I shouldn't think so, no," said Dumbledore quietly.**_

_**"But I'm jiggered if I know how he got up there to do it. All I know is he and Billy had argued the day before. And then"— Mrs. Cole took another swig of gin, slopping a little over her chin this time — "on the summer outing — we take them out, you know, once a year, to the countryside or to the seaside — well, Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop were never quite right afterwards, and all we ever got out of them was that they'd gone into a cave with Tom Riddle. He swore they'd just gone exploring, but something happened in there, I'm sure of it. And, well, there have been a lot of things, funny things…"**_

_**"I don't think many people will be sorry to see the back of him."**_

_**"You understand, I'm sure, that we will not be keeping him permanently?" said Dumbledore. "He will have to return here, at the very least, every summer."**_

_**"Oh, well, that's better than a whack on the nose with a rusty poker," said Mrs. Cole... "I suppose you'd like to see him?"**_

_**"Very much," said Dumbledore, rising too.**_

_Tom sneered at the memory Dumbledore, noticing that Meredith had very peculiar expressions the entire time. It was sort of strange to be looking at a memory of someone looking at a memory, but it was clear to him she too had similar thought patterns. What was Dumbledore trying to do with these questions? It was almost like he had seen this sort of situation before. _

_**"I am Professor Dumbledore."**_

_**"'Professor'?" repeated Riddle. He looked wary. "Is that like 'doctor'? What are you here for? Did she get you in to have a look at me?"**_

_**"No, no," said Dumbledore, smiling.**_

_**"I don't believe you," said Riddle. "She wants me looked at, doesn't she? Tell the truth!"**_

_**"Who are you?"**_

_**"I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I work at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school — your new school, if you would like to come."**_

_**Riddle's reaction to this was most surprising. He leapt from the bed and backed away from Dumbledore, looking furious.**_

_**"You can't kid me! The asylum, that's where you're from, isn't it? 'Professor,' yes, of course — well, I'm not going, see? That old cat's the one who should be in the asylum. I never did anything to little Amy Benson or Dennis Bishop, and you can ask them, they'll tell you!"**_

_**"I am not from the asylum," said Dumbledore patiently. "I am a teacher and, if you will sit down calmly, I shall tell you about Hogwarts. Of course, if you would rather not come to the school, nobody will force you —"**_

_**"I'd like to see them try," sneered Tom...**_

_The memory went on from there and ended in Dumbledore's office. He blinked as he was once again aware of looking into Meredith's lovely mismatched eyes. She sat back some as she came to and smiled slightly at him, and he knew she was trying to appraise his reaction to the memory. _

"_Strange memory for him to show you," he began. "There is one in my fourth year where I escorted a lost first year to class to my grave annoyance. I wonder if that holds any credence to fighting me and my evil ways?" _

_Meredith chuckled. "I don't know, who was the first year?" she asked and he shrugged and then smirked. _

"_Actually, that was a bad analogy." he muttered as the identity of the first year came back to him. Meredith raised an eyebrow and slowly swung her leg over and collapsed into a sitting position on his left. _

"_Nope, you have to answer." _

_Tom sighed. "Myrtle Hale, Ravenclaw." _

_Meredith's eyes widened. "Moaning Myrtle!" Tom nodded and Meredith laughed at the irony. "I don't know Tom, he may just show me that memory yet." _

_A few minutes latter after the redhead had calmed down the two sat in silence, simply enjoying being with each other.  
><em>

"_Tom, what was all that with the rabbit?" she asked, startling him. "What did the poor little bunny do to you?" Tom raised an eyebrow and sighed. _

"_Well, for one it was alive," he said dryly and Meredith huffed, hitting him on the arm. He chuckled, it was something no one had ever done, hit him playfully like that. No one had ever been bold enough but Meredith didn't seem to fear much, not even death, and he envied that trait in her. _

"_Billy Stubbs, Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop were friends, and had been there as long as I had. Though they were a year or two older then me," Tom began as he wrapped an arm around Meredith and began twirling her loose hair in his hand. "I suppose you could compare them to your cousin and his group." _

_Meredith winced and Tom looked down at her. "Would you like to see my memory of what caused me to kill the bunny as you so poetically put it?" Meredith smiled, happy he was willing to open up to her and nodded. _

"_You remember what to do?" Tom asked and she nodded. Their gazes locked and what felt like only seconds latter she inside his memory, watching as a small boy, no older then six sat alone on a playground like area, probably the back of the Orphanage. _

"_**Hey Bill, lookie what we have here!" a short boy, seven or eight said as he approached the secluded younger boy who seemed preoccupied by something in front of him. **_

_**The approaching boy had a permanent sneer on his face, looking like something smelly had crawled up his nose and died. His hair was longer, pale blond and beady brown eyes that resembled mud more so then any brown eyes she'd ever seen. Behind him was a girl, with long plaits in her black hair, pale skin much like all the children there and two large but cruel slate gray colored eyes. **_

_**The last boy, obviously Bill, or Billy as she was sure was his given name was taller, maybe a year older then the other two with messy brown hair and big blue eyes, and a mean look about him. He seemed to smile cruelly upon seeing where his two friends were headed. **_

"_**If it isn't the freak spawn," Billy spat as the three surrounded Tom. Tom looked up his face passive yet no where near as cold as the memories she had seen before. His eyes were also more open but obviously suspicious and guarded. In his hands was a small green snake, no longer then one of the boys arms from finger tip to forearm, if that. **_

"_**Go away Billy, Amy, Dennis," Tom muttered as he stood up only to be pushed down by the blond boy, who sneered at him as he landed on his butt. **_

"_**We don't want too," the boy snarled, lashing out with his foot which collided with Tom's leg painfully. **_

"_**Oh, is little Tommy-wommy going to cry to mummy?" Amy mocked and the three kids laughed. **_

"_**Where is your mummy Tom?" Billy asked. "Is she dead Riddle? Is your mummy dead?" **_

"_**Shut up!" Tom cried, his face cold and hard, only ruined by the shine of tears in his eyes. "Did you hear me, I said shut up!" This caused the three kids to quiet down and stare at him. **_

"_**Hissing, did you hear that Amy, Billy?" Dennis asked as he moved forward. "Riddle's more of a freak then we thought, he's trying to talk like that stupid snake he is so fond of." **_

"_**Freaks shouldn't have pets," Amy said smirking. **_

"_**Not my pet, he's my friend," Tom muttered as he stood up. **_

"_**Pets, friends, doesn't matter. It's not for freaks Riddle," Billy said with a laugh and reached forward to take the snake which hissed but didn't do anything more. Being the kind of snake it was it didn't really have many defenses. Tom jerked back, trying to protect his friend but was grabbed by Amy and Dennis who held him by the arm and the boy cried out in alarm as the snake was wretched from his hands. **_

"_**Friends never stay with freaks, Riddle, they always die. Like your mummy," Billy sneered as he held the snake up in front of him. **_

"_**Give him back!" Billy laughed. **_

"_**You want him back Riddle?" Billy asked and then Tom's eyes widened as the boy slung the snake with all his might at the ground,and the snake made a popping sound as it hit, blood leaking from it's head. "Then go get him." **_

_**Tom stared with teary eyes at the spot where his first friend lay, unmoving, in shock. He didn't even noticed when he was released and the three bullies began walking away. He sniffled and then turned slightly his eyes cold and frosty as he sneered at the retreating bullies. In that moment, he vowed revenge. **_

_Meredith didn't realize she was crying until she came out of the memory and had her head buried in Tom's chest. _

"_Those, those evil little cockroaches!" she raged, shaking her head. "It's no wonder you killed the rabbit and oooh, it just makes me so mad!" _

"_It wasn't just me who was targeted." Tom shrugged. "It doesn't matter little Redbird, they're all dead nowadays anyway, well at least Amy and Dennis are." _

_Meredith looked up at him. "What do you mean?" _

"_Well, Billy was nearly two year older then me and left the Orphanage at seventeen. Years latter when I looked into his location I found he was in prison for rape and murder. I figure he is still there, if he's not dead. Amy suffered from an unfortunate accident at twenty and Dennis followed soon after his fiance and killed himself." Meredith raised an eyebrow and smirked. _

"_Both accidents, I'm sure," she said and Tom blinked and smiled. _

"_I'm sure." _

"_Tom there is one more thing before we wake up," Meredith began and Tom looked at her and waited for her to continue. "The ring, it's gone. I wanted to bring it to you next time we met but when I left his office the ring wasn't there anymore." _

_Tom sighed. "The ring doesn't matter anymore, it's already been taken care of. I've already had Bellatrix go to Gringotts and retrieve the cup, I just need the Diadem from Hogwarts." _

_Meredith nodded. "But how do I get into the room? With Draco using it for whatever nefarious plot you've got cooking..." Tom chuckled. _

"_Simply ask him to take you, you are to the head of his Mother's family in less then a year. It would be in his best interest to listen." Meredith rolled her eyes, why didn't she think of that. Smiling she leaned up, pressing her lips to his just as she woke from the dreamscape. _

**xXx**

Meredith had Herbology first thing the following morning, something she found rather annoying since she wasn't that into the subject. She had too many fond memories of working in her Aunt Petunia's garden to enjoy the subject. She had been unable to tell Ron and Hermione about her lesson with Dumbledore over breakfast for fear of being over-heard, and she hadn't returned from the Chamber for two hours, longer then she'd wanted to be gone but necessary.

She had however filled them in as they walked across the vegetable patch toward the greenhouses. The weekend's brutal wind had died out at last; the weird mist had returned and it took them a little longer than usual to find the correct greenhouse. They noticed instantly that a lot of the students were not present, many in mourning and others simply to disturbed by the Saturday attack to come to Tuesday lessons.

Attack or no attack she knew Hermione would never miss a lesson, even if she was bleeding out she'd still attempt to go. It was pretty unsurprising that a majority of those present were Slytherin's and Ravenclaws.

"Wow, scary thought, the boy You-Know-Who," said Ron quietly,

as they took their places around one of the gnarled Snargaluff stumps that formed this terms project, and began pulling on their protective gloves.

Meredith chuckled. "Well you didn't think he sprouted out of nowhere did you?" she asked and Hermione snorted at Ron's dumbfounded expression.

"True I guess, but I still don't get why Dumbledore's showing you all this. I mean, it's really interesting and everything, but what's the point?"

"Dunno," said Meredith, inserting a gum shield. "Personally I think all those lemon drops have knocked a few screws loose..."

"Merry!" Hermione gasped out, her face torn between amusement and being scandalized. Ron didn't fight his amusement and chuckled while Meredith smirked slightly.

"I'm just speaking the truth. I think it's a big waste of time, considering my stance in everything it's an even bigger waste." Ron and Hermione exchanged looks.

"So, you're really serious about being neutral? I mean totally completely serious, you're not gonna change your mind anytime soon serious?" Ron asked and Meredith sighed.

"I am. I'm sorry, I love you guys but I'm not some superhero, I can't save you. Not when I'm..." she shook her head. "Just leave him alone and he won't attack you."

"How can you say that, be so sure of that?" Hermione asked suspiciously and Meredith berated herself for being so careless.

"I just do," she replied and Hermione's eyes widened. Meredith could practically see the steam from the cogs moving in the intelligent witches mind and as she caught the others eye she whispered, _'__Legilimens__'_, and was such into the girls surface thoughts.

_'Could she...'_

_'She wouldn't, would she?'_

_'Meredith isn't as sweet as she pretends to be, even you know that'_

_'But she wouldn't join that monster would she?'_

_'Maybe if she knew something we didn't. Maybe he isn't as bad as we all assume?'_

_'How can he not, look at what happened Saturday?'_

_'But he wasn't there was he? Who has actually met him to be sure –'_

_'It makes no difference, what is to say she's joined him?'_

_'What is to say she hasn't? Tom Marvolo Riddle, maybe she didn't join Voldemort maybe she joined him?'_

_'Whats the difference?'_

_'Maybe nothing, maybe everything.'_

_'But how, why, she couldn't of?'_

_'Look at the signs, she's been more distant lately, stressed over something. She disappears for hours, and give flimsy excuses that may fool Ron but not me.'_

_'That mysterious older friend who sent her those books, the spells...the way she reacted when I almost opened that book at the beginning of term...'_

_'She didn't put up much of a fight Saturday until Bellatrix attacked her...'_

_'That friend...MRT...Marvin Royce Thompson...Marv...Thom...R...' _

_'TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE! MRT...TMR!' _

Meredith pulled out then, not wanting or needing to read anymore. From the owl like stare Hermione had on her face she had figured it out enough that she was in trouble. Especially if she told, and she couldn't allow that.

"Hermione..." Ron trailed off as he waved his free hand in her face and Hermione shook her head.

"I think it's fascinating," said Hermione earnestly but Meredith could see something amiss in her voice and expression. "It makes absolute sense to know as much about Voldemort as possible. How else will you find out his weaknesses?"

"Well, I don't need to know his weaknesses, but I suppose they would be a good thing to know if I were to need them or use them," she said softly and then shook her head.

"So how was Slughorn's latest party?" Meredith asked her thickly through the gum shield.

"Oh, it was quite fun, really," said Hermione, now putting on protective goggles. "I mean, he drones on about famous exploits a bit, and he absolutely fawns on McLaggen because he's so well connected, but he gave us some really nice food and he introduced us to Gwenog Jones."

"Gwenog Jones?" said Ron, his eyes widening under his own goggles. "The Gwenog Jones? Captain of the Holyhead Harpies?"

"That's right," said Hermione. "Personally, I thought she was a bit full of herself, but —"

"Quite enough chat over here!" said Professor Sprout briskly, bustling over and looking stern. "You're lagging behind, everybody else has started, and Neville's already got his first pod!"

They looked around; sure enough, there sat Neville with a bloody lip and several nasty scratches along the side of his face, but clutching an unpleasantly pulsating green object about the size of a grapefruit.

"Okay, Professor, we're starting now!" said Ron, adding quietly, when she had turned away again, "Should've used Muffliato, Meredith."

"No, we shouldn't!" said Hermione at once, looking, as she always did, intensely cross at the thought of the Half-Blood Prince and his spells. "Well, come on… we'd better get going…"

"Hermione, the spell isn't dangerous." Meredith said, rolling her eyes.

"Right, it just saves us from a tongue lashing if caught -"

As if to prove the point Sprout shouted, "Weasley, if I see your mouth move again without a proper excuse it'll be detention for a week!"

Hermione gave the other two an apprehensive look before sighing and they all took deep breaths and then dived at the gnarled stump between them.

It sprang to life at once; long, prickly, bramble-like vines flew out of the top and whipped through the air. One tangled itself in Hermione's hair, and Ron beat it back with a pair of secateurs; Meredith succeeded in trapping a couple of vines and knotting them together; a hole opened in the middle of all the tentacle-like branches; Hermione plunged her arm bravely into this hole, which closed like a trap around her elbow.

Meredith and Ron tugged and wrenched at the vines, forcing the hole to open again, and Hermione snatched her arm free, clutching in her fingers a pod just like Neville's. At once, the prickly vines shot back inside, and the gnarled stump sat there looking like an innocently dead lump of wood.

"You know, I don't think I'll be having any of these in my garden when I've got my own place," said Ron, pushing his goggles up onto his forehead and wiping sweat from his face.

"I can't see you having a garden Ron," Meredith said with a snort.

"Pass me a bowl," said Hermione, holding the pulsating pod at arm's length; Meredith handed one over and she dropped the pod into it with a look of disgust on her face.

"Meredith, we need to talk soon," Hermione whisper as she leaned closer to Meredith to deposit the pod. Meredith sighed and nodded.

"Don't be squeamish, squeeze it out, they're best when they're fresh!" called Professor Sprout.

"Anyway," said Hermione, continuing their interrupted conversation as though a lump of wood had not just attacked them, "Slughorn's going to have a Christmas party, Meredith, and there's no way you'll be able to wriggle out of this one because he actually asked me to check your free evenings, so he could be sure to have it on a night you can come."

Meredith groaned. "I suppose I'll have too, not to mention tonight. Hopefully I didn't get myself into a awkward evening."

Though it would be a wonderful time to give him those pineapple candies she'd been saving for just the right occasion. Maybe she could even asked Zabini why Theo kept looking at her with those strange stares. She hadn't forgotten Zabini's warning but she'd been little more relaxed then maybe she should have been.

Meanwhile, Ron, who was attempting to burst the pod in the bowl by putting both hands on it, standing up, and squashing it as hard as he could, said angrily, "And this is another party just for Slughorn's favorites, is it?"

"Just for the Slug Club, yes," said Hermione.

The pod flew out from under Ron's fingers and hit the green house glass, rebounding onto the back of Professor Sprout's head and knocking off her old, patched hat. Meredith winced, and went to retrieve the pod.

"Sorry Professor," she said and Sprout sighed and handed the escaped pod back to her student.

"See that you keep a firm hand on that pod Ms. Potter," Professor Sprout said and Meredith nodded before returning; when she got back, Hermione was saying, "Look, I didn't make up the name 'Slug Club' —"

"'Slug Club,'" repeated Ron with a sneer worthy of Malfoy. Something she was sure would be the worst sort of insult to the redhead.

"It's pathetic. Well, I hope you enjoy your party. Why don't you try hooking up with McLaggen, then Slughorn can make you King and Queen Slug —"

"We're allowed to bring guests," said Hermione, who for some reason had turned a bright, boiling scarlet, "and I was going to ask you to come, but if you think it's that stupid then I won't bother!"

Meredith suddenly wished the pod had flown a little farther, so that she need not have been sitting here with the pair of them. Unnoticed by either, she seized the bowl that contained the pod and began to try and open it by the noisiest and most energetic means she could think of; unfortunately, she could still hear every word of their conversation.

Despite the fact she had tried banging, stabbing, cutting with a cutting curse it all seemed to leave the pod unaffected and not be loud enough to drown her friends out.

"You were going to ask me?" asked Ron, in a completely different voice.

"Yes," said Hermione angrily. "But obviously if you'd rather I hooked up with McLaggen…" There was a pause while Meredith continued to pound the resilient pod with a trowel.

"'No, I wouldn't,'" said Ron, in a very quiet voice. "I bet Meredith will take me!"

Meredith missed the pod in her shock, around the same time Hermione had gasped, and hit the bowl, shattering it.

"You'd rather go with Meredith then? Have you developed feeling for her recently we should know about?" Hermione exclaimed, maybe a little too loudly making Meredith sigh and cast a quiet Muffliato under her breathe.

"Reparo," she said hastily, poking the pieces with her wand, and the bowl sprang back together again. The crash, and actions after, however, appeared to have awoken Ron and Hermione to Meredith's presence. Hermione looked flustered and immediately started fussing about for her copy of Flesh-Eating Trees of the World to find out the correct way to juice Snargaluff pods; Ron, on the other hand, looked sheepish but also rather pleased with himself.

"You know I can't take you right Ron?" Meredith asked as she looked over at her best friend who sighed.

"We could just go as friends," he said and she shook her head.

"You know the only reason you want to go is because Hermione will be there and you blew your chance to go. You also know whoever I go with is gonna start rumors and I can't start that with you because it would hurt Hermione and not to mention be awkward. Your my brother, dude."

"Dude, you seriously just said dude?" Ron asked with a chuckle and Meredith smiled.

"Hand that over, Meredith," said Hermione hurriedly. "It says we're supposed to puncture them with something sharp…"

"But...I stabbed it, and...hello, cutting curse!" Meredith said, almost whining as she handed the pod in the bowl.

"It has to be made without magic, and your wand is magical," she said and Meredith scuffed as she and Ron both snapped their goggles back over their eyes and dived, once more, for the stump. It was not as though she was really surprised, thought Meredith, as she wrestled with a thorny vine intent upon throttling her; she had had an inkling that this might happen sooner or later. But she was not sure how she felt about it…she didn't want to be tag along, the third wheel.

She and Tom couldn't exactly be seen together in public, even though few knew his true appearance and the red eyes were sort of a give away. Not to mention she didn't know if he could last more then fifteen minutes with throwing a crucio at the first overly annoying person. She couldn't exactly have a decoy relationship either, Tom would kill the decoy before it could even be suggested and she truly didn't want to. That wasn't the point though.

What if Ron and Hermione started going out together, then split up? Could their friendship survive it? Meredith remembered the few weeks when they had not been talking to each other in the third year; she had not enjoyed trying to bridge the distance between them. She decided it didn't matter after a minute, things were looking pretty grime for the Golden Trio anyways.

"Gotcha!" yelled Ron, pulling a second pod from the stump just as Hermione managed to burst the first one open, so that the bowl was full of tubers wriggling like pale green worms.

The rest of the lesson passed without further mention of Slughorn's party. Herbology ended and the rest of the day was spent in either class or free periods. One such free period found them talking about the D.A and she told them all she'd found the Dueling Chamber and that they'd meet for the first time after Halloween, on November 4th, which was the first Monday of the new month.

Then just before dinner Hermione pulled her to Moaning Myrtles bathroom to get ready for Slughorn's dinner – which Hermione wouldn't let her forget had been her idea – for some privacy. She knew what the girl wanted to ask and she dreaded it. She fully anticipated loosing her first real female friend, and she'd been psyching herself up for this all day.

"It's not true, is it?" Hermione asked as they changed in stalls next to each other, the Muffliato spell in effect. She could only hope it worked on Ghost, even though Myrtle didn't seem to be there at the moment. She of course didn't tell Hermione the spell was in place knowing how the girl felt about the Half-Blood prince.

"You'll have to be more clear Hermione. A lot of thing are true, for instance the carpet does match the drapes," she said mock seriously as she pulled on her dress.

The dress just barely hit above her knees and was a bright green satin, but seemed darker because of the Rose colored lace over top of it and then there was a satin sash-like belt around her waist. She had already switched her school shoes for some purple heels that matched perfectly the dark purple shrug on jacket that had silver beaded designs.

Hermione huffed. "You know what I mean Merry, I know you do," she began. "Have you betrayed us to him?"

Meredith winced at the words as she placed the purple lily clip into the right side of her hair, the hair on that side swept slightly up and out of her face because of it. "I didn't betray you..."

"But? Merry, what did you do?" Meredith slipped on a Fleur de Lis necklace and stepped out of the stall at the same time that Hermione did. She wore something almost completely different. Her hair was half up with a golden clip and she wore a blue blouse and long knee length silk skirt in the same color, and lighter blue heels similar to her own.

"You wouldn't understand Hermione, just trust me on this," she pleaded but from the look on Hermione's face she wasn't going to leave this alone.

"MRT, MRT...there the same person aren't they?" she asked and Meredith sighed, nodding as she stared at the space behind Hermione.

"How could you? Marvin Thompson doesn't exist does he? It's always been Tom Riddle, hasn't it?" Meredith looked away from the accusing brown eyes and walked over to the sinks.

"You weren't supposed to find out like this?" she said, her voice catching in her throat. Tears were slowly filling her eyes now.

"Why? He's a monster Merry, look at what he's done?" Hermione said, her voice pleading as she stared at her friends back. "He's using you, he doesn't care about you he doesn't care about anyone!"

"You don't understand."

"I understand, he offered you attention, acceptance. He offered you companionship when we practically ignored you because Dumbledore told us to," Hermione shook her head. "But it's a lie Meredith. He killed Sirius, he killed your parents!"

Meredith spun around, tears in her eyes. "You don't get it! He's not like that, he's not a saint, and yeah, he killed my parents but don't you dare bring Sirius into this!" Meredith yelled.

"I'm just looking after you, I don't want you to get hurt and your headed for disaster!" Hermione cried back.

"Tom isn't all he appears Hermione, if he was do you really think he would have let me go on Sunday? He had me right there, and he never did anything I didn't entice." She stared at her friends shocked face as she felt the tears fall. "I love him Hermione. I know it's sick, and I never meant to do it, but I do. I know I'm gonna loose every friend I have over him and I can't hate him for that and I can't leave him because of it." She was almost sobbing now as she moved closer, the tears falling like rain.

"Oh Merry," Hermione muttered, her face and eyes softening.

"I don't want to fight this war, it was never mine to begin with. I was just born and then because of some fraud who needed or wanted attention and a job I was put on the spot. For gods sake the prophecy didn't even say anything about a girl, and I'm still here with this scar." Meredith shrugged and continued.

"Your right, he's a monster but he's only what the world made him and I can't blame him for that. I've seen his past like no one else can because I lived it myself. His memory was right, we are alike, and maybe it's because of that this happened. Maybe fate hates us, but it's done, it's over and I'm moving on."

Hermione stared at her friend, stricken. "Please, don't leave."

Meredith turned back to her from, she had been using a paper towel to wipe her eyes but they were still noticeably puffy. Hermione sighed and took the other girls hand and led her to the sink.

"I'm sorry. I won't pretend to understand what you see him him, and I won't pretend to like him but your my friend Merry. Your my sister and no matter what you do I'll always love you." Hermione smiled softly at her friend and breathed a sigh of relief when the girl threw herself into her arms.

"Thank you," she said and then a moment latter pulled back. "I am so sorry, about lying to you all. Understand I just couldn't tell you all I was being sucked into dreamscapes every other night for some quality time with the man perceived as the anti-Christ by everyone. I don't trust Dumbledore as far as I could throw one of his lemon drops and I was afraid of this very moment. I didn't want to loose you all and then I went and fell in love and it all went to shit creek and I broke the bloody paddle."

Hermione laughed at her friends rambling. "You'll tell me more latter? I want to understand, but first we need to get you presentable for Slughorn's dinner. We don't have much time either."

"Thanks Mione," Meredith muttered.

"Mer," Hermione asked a few minutes latter as she finished making Meredith's eyes less red and puffy.

"Yeah?"

"The attack on Saturday, did you know about it?" Meredith sighed.

"First you have to understand that Tom did some stupid crap in his school days and it cost him his sanity. When he started this war he wasn't fully there and now he's regaining some of it back. I'm helping him achieve it, and the affect is apparent. I've already been able to talk to him about his motives and plans if he won and whatnot. I don't think you'll have to worry about him causing the Apocalypse by trying to killing a billion plus muggles and muggle-borns."

Hermione listened intently.

"I knew about the attack, I helped plan it." At Hermione's hurt look she added quickly. "But it was never meant to go the way it did. The Death Eaters attacked hours ahead of schedule, and the students got caught in the attack when they were never meant to. My capture was also a blunder on their part and we had to work on a way to get me out without making Dumbledore suspicious."

"You animagus form?" She nodded.

"I've been working on since this summer. I was telling the truth, Sirius did begin to teach me but Tom finished my training. He also taught me Occlumency and little Legilimency, and other things." Meredith shrugged. "We came up with the plan to use my form to stage my escape. In order to do this though we had to stage my torture as well."

"So those wounds?" Hermione asked Meredith looked down and blushed.

"He didn't want to hurt me, but uh I knew we had to make it look real. I told him to think of it as rough foreplay." Instead of the gasp of outrage it enticed laughter from her brunette friend.

"Rough foreplay? I didn't realize you were into kink Meredith." Meredith gaped at her friend.

"I didn't realize you knew what kink was Hermione Granger." Hermione sighed and took her friends arm into hers.

"We have to go now, we'll be late as it is." Hermione said and they began to leave the bathroom. "By the way what's in the bag?"

"Candied Pineapple, it's for Slughorn." Hermione chuckled.

"That's his favorite, but something tells me you already knew that."

"Hmm, maybe."


	19. Slughorn's Dinner Party

**Title:**Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
>Summery: <strong>FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

**Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

**Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!**

****A/N 5/4/12: So here we go, the next chapter which was longer then I thought it to be. I wanted to finish it sooner but it gave me a bit of trouble with the first two scenes and I then the dreamscape which I wanted to be longer but it just didn't turn out that way. Oh, well. I do believe next chapter we'll be going into Halloween and Dursley's death, but we'll see. Thank you everyone for the reviews and I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well.  
><strong>**

* * *

><p><strong>Rumor Has It.<strong>

**Chapter 18: Slughorn's Dinner Party.**

"Ah, our guest of honor has arrived," Slughorn's enthusiastic voice cried as she and Hermione entered the classroom made to look like a dinning room like area. The students assembled all turned to look at them, though she was sure she saw McLaggen sneer slightly at her, though it didn't stop his eyes from roving over her body. She sent a quick yet withering glare back at him and then turned to Slughorn with a wide and pleasant smile.

"Hello, Professor. Sorry we're late, we got held up in the bathroom, minor incident," Meredith said and Slughorn nodded, and she was sure his eyes were on the verge of twinkling, something she didn't think she'd be able to take right now. She hated that damn twinkle in the Headmaster's eyes, it made her feel strange and guilty at times for some reason and she was sure it was some spell applied to his glasses to make it appear as if he was twinkling.

"Of course m'dear girl, of course. Now you all know Ms. Granger and of course, Meredith Potter," Slughorn introduced happily as the two girls took the only two seats left. Unfortunately for Hermione hers was right next to McLaggen on the left side of Slughorn who accompanied the head of the long table. She sat on the right side, across from Hermione and beside Zabini. "Meredith here is actually the one who suggested this little dinner. I wouldn't have thought of it without her."

"I think you would have Professor, I just made a suggestion." She smiled and turned to her right where Zabini sat and raised an eyebrow. He was looking at her with a similar raised brow, his elbow had just jabbed her in the side much to her annoyance.

"Laying it on a bit thick Potter?" he whispered, his head bowed and Meredith smirked.

"Not yet," she muttered back and Hermione coughed into her hand. It was obvious her overly observant friend had noticed the exchange, maybe not heard the words but seen them talking to one another.

"Now, how has your studies been going Meredith?" Slughorn asked as the food appeared and everyone began to dig in, she had noticed instantly that Belby was a bit of a pig, worst then Ron or at least on the same level. Actually the speed and ferocity he dug into the food with reminded her of Dudley. It was scary to think that her fat cousin had a magical counterpart.

McLaggen had a habit of putting his hand into the food – mostly deserts – and then putting it into his mouth and looking like he was picking his teeth clean with his fingers, while eating at the same time. It was disgusting to her, and the other half of the students assembled, most from Pureblooded families and she knew that most had manners, especially table manners beat into their head from the time they could walk until adulthood.

"-really, well I know your mother was quite good with Ancient Runes, though by far her best subjects were Potions and Charms." Slughorn nodded and his eyes smiled with him, as if lost in a fond memory.

"Professor, you've taught here for a long time right?" Hermione asked and Slughorn blinked and nodded.

"Why yes, I have. I started here in...well it had to be 1940. I remember because the last Potion's instructor had been killed and I read it in the paper. I knew the poor chap as well, Barnabas Prince, magnificent Potion's Master, not much for social skills," Slughorn explained with a laugh, his belly jiggling against the table as he did. "I retired in 1979, and now here I am again."

"So...does that mean you taught Tom Riddle sir?" Hermione pressed and Meredith dropped her fork and her head snapped up looking at Hermione in nervous panic. What in the nine hells was she doing, Meredith thought to herself as she saw Slughorn's eyes dull some and grow big.

"My, that's the second time someone has asked about him this year?" he said. Neville looked confused from his seat a few rows down, Ginny just looked green. "The first being Merry of course. Tell me how did you know of him?"

"I saw his trophy in the trophy room once and Meredith asked me to help her research who he was once." It was rather quick thinking on her part, Meredith would admit but she wasn't sure if it would be accepted by Slughorn as the 'how she knew that name?' excuse.

"I see. I was going to talk to Meredith about him anyways, she seemed interested when we met this summer..."

Meredith drowned his words out as she looked to where Ginny was looking progressively worse. Not the for the first time that night she felt like a horrid bitch. Ginny had been hurt the most by Tom one way or another and she didn't know if she'd be able to get Ginny to see that this Tom wasn't the same one from the Diary. True they looked the same, though her Tom was a little older and a little taller, but they hadn't been connected at the time. Tom hadn't given her the Diary and she knew it sounded like she was making excuses for him but it was simply what she believed.

"-Tom was a charismatic boy, handsome, powerful. He could have been anything he wanted, anything at all."

"What happened to him then?" Ginny's weak voice asked and Slughorn looked at her, his expression showing slight worry.

"Well, no one really knows," he said though Meredith was getting the impression Slughorn knew more the he was letting on. "Most who knew him back them assume he died or moved somewhere exotic. Tom was never a predictable lad."

The dinner went on from there, Ginny excusing herself seconds latter. Apologizing for leaving but that she just wasn't feeling to good at the moment and Meredith didn't miss how her hands brushed with Zabini's chair as she passed. It was rather strange, she had to admit but she didn't pay it much mind. Talking commenced and Slughorn asked Neville how his gran was. His gran turned out to be someone Slughorn taught back in the day, and it turned out she had barely passed her Potion's OWL and had not taken NEWT Potions because of it.

McLaggen's stories of his influence and whatnot didn't do much but almost put her to sleep and Hermione was looking flushed from where she sat, her gaze stuck on her desert bowl as if it could hold an intelligent conversation with her. Zabini didn't talk much, just spoke of his mother and how his birth father had been some influential Italian magical minister from 1975-1981, having died the year after his birth. It seemed the Slytherin still had some power in the Italian magical ministry because of his father though not a lot, though he had met a lot of the powerful wizards in that area.

"Well, I do believe we've been here longer then intended," Slughorn said nearly two hours after Meredith had arrived, patting his belly as he leaned back in his chair. "Now go straight back to your common rooms. I do believe there is another ten minutes before curfew is called."

Of course that wouldn't matter for Hermione or Meredith, being Prefect's their curfew wasn't until Eleven.

"Wait outside for me," Meredith whispered to Hermione who nodded and left to wait for her friend. Meredith turned back to Slughorn who was standing now with his back turned to her, and she walked further into the room. Looking beside her she blinked, and placed her hand on the hourglass on the table beside her. It was truly beautiful she realized and when she taped it it made a bell like sound. The sound was enough to startle Slughorn who turned and upon seeing her and where she was seemed to pale slightly, though she didn't know why.

"Meredith, your startled me." he moved closer. "Why are you still here? You should be getting back to your common room soon."

"I realize that professor, but I wanted to thank you for the lovely dinner," she said and removed the bag of candied pineapple from her cloak – which she was now happy she had grabbed as they'd left the bathroom earlier.

"Candied pineapple, however did you know?" Slughorn asked as he took the bag with a small smile.

"Intuition..." she said not missing how the man stiffened for just the slightest of moments before returning to normal. "Professor, this hourglass, it's beautiful. Where did you come about it?"

"Well, that's a funny question. I've been asked before, it was gift you see." Meredith nodded and moved closer.

"Professor, what is your stance on the human soul?" she asked after a moment. Slughorn's head snapped up at this, his eyes wide. "Don't get me wrong professor, I'm just curious. I came across a book recently and it confused me. I don't understand why or how it could possibly be done..."

"Meredith..." Slughorn began, but any words seemed to fail him. "The uh book, what was it on?"

"I don't know if I should tell you sir, it's just so embarrassing. The Headmaster doesn't like me studying questionable magic, with my fame the way it is. I know if I can ask anyone it's you, I believe the word was Hor..."

"...Crux," Slughorn muttered and for a moment Meredith was afraid he was going to cry. It annoyed her, she had no idea why he was reacting this way.

"Meredith, Horcruxes are not something you ought to be messing with. They are dangerous, promise me you won't go looking into it?" Slughorn said as he placed an hand on her arm. She blinked and nodded.

"I promise." He sighed. "Professor, you've been asked about Horcruxes before? Haven't you?"

"I have, but that is nothing to talk about. Just stay away from soul magic, it is nothing to mess with. Consequences, they're to much, to high a price to pay." Slughorn shook his head. "Remember Meredith, you promised."

"Of course Professor, enjoy your pineapple," she said and turned and left. It wasn't as informative as she'd wanted but it would do. After all, she had a pretty good idea the consequences he was talking about – insanity being the biggest. Lost of humanity being another.

**xXx**

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked as she followed her friend through Hogwarts. She wouldn't deny she was nervous, she wasn't exactly sure who Meredith was anymore.

"I haven't quite decided yet," she answered. "I was going to take you to the dueling chamber but I need a Pensieve, and I'm pretty sure I saw one in the chamber."

"A Pensieve? The chamber, you don't mean the Chamber of – " Hermione was interrupted by Meredith who nodded.

"The Chamber of Secrets, right in one." Meredith stopped as they neared the dungeons. "Hermione are you sure you want to know this? If not tell me now and I can Obliviate you, but once you've walked into the Chamber there is no turning back."

"If I do this I'd have to choose the dark?" Hermione asked, not sure she understood. Meredith laughed.

"Not at all, people seem to forget there are three sides in this war Mione. Light, Neutral and Dark. I am technically Neutral right now, and even I was to go Dark I wouldn't be like the others -"

"You'd be like the Dark Lady." Meredith blinked.

"I guess that's a good way to put it," she said with a shrug. "I have no interest in this war Hermione, or Politics at all really. Even with the Dark I'd wouldn't do much besides being with Tom. The point is you have to decide sooner or latter which side your on."

"I understand, but why do you need a Pensieve?" Hermione asked and Meredith smiled as she took the other girls arm and led her to the area close to the Slytherin Common rooms and stood in front of it.

::Serenity.:: she hissed before looking back at Hermione as the portrait creaked and then swung inwards revealing a spiraling staircase.

"Because I want to show you how this all began, my memories. To help you understand." Hermione gaped at her friend as they descended the stairs and she looked behind her in time to notice the door swing shut as Meredith's wand lit up so they could see.

Hermione followed her example and soon enough they were led to another portrait of a woman. She was very pretty, reminding Hermione of Meredith the way her face was shaped but the features were different. Her skin was darker, healthy tanned and she wore an old world dress which looked painful. Her hair was piled upon her head and had a crown of flowers around the bun, her hair a striking shade of brown against the violets and little yellow and blue flowers. Her eyes were a beautiful charcoal green color and around her neck was a locket with a ornate 's' engraved.

"Password granddaughter?" the woman asked. Meredith was used to Serenity calling her that, eve if there should have been what felt like a thousand greats before that. It seemed Hermione was caught in shock from the declaration.

::Open.:: Meredith answered and the portrait swung inward and the two girls stepped out into the bed chamber.

"Guest, you've brought a tag along to the chamber girl?" a aged voice asked and Hermione looked for it, Meredith sighed and looked at Salazar's portrait.

"Hush Sal, I'm in need of a Pensieve. That was the bowl basin I saw in the library wasn't it?" she asked and Salazar looked the girl beside his descendant over. She looked nothing special really, bushy hair which looked as if she'd tried extra hard to tame yet her hair would have none of it. Expressive brown eyes and creamy skin, she would have been considered a looker in his days, someone to consider despite blood status.

"It was, I can only assume this child has discovered your illicit affair with Tom?" Hermione blinked and Meredith scuffed, rolling her eyes.

"Well, that's one way to put it. Come on Hermione, let's go." She began to leave, Hermione following behind her and they made their way to the hidden library, which wasn't all that hidden. Meredith was not surprised to see Hermione's eyes widen at the rows of books and knowledge, most from centuries before she was even born. Before her parents were even thought of.

"It's...it's amazing!" Hermione exclaimed as she looked around and Meredith chuckled.

"Your welcome to read some of the tomes but be aware most of it is dark magic, and while I haven't nothing against you learning it I'd advise you not to alone or too quickly. It's additive, that's the reason it's so dangerous and was eventually outlawed in 1692."

"How did you know that? No one knows when it was outlawed, not since the ministry fire of 1812!" Hermione exclaimed and Meredith shrugged.

"These books have been her a for a long time and it's not that it isn't know anymore, it's just finding the right source." she shrugged. "And a self updating book of major events in history. A creation of Ravenclaw's that Slytherin copied for his own uses."

"Merlin," Hermione muttered as she looked around. Meredith grabbed her wrist lightly and began to pull her along and towards the far end of the room where a stone basin sat. it was definitely a Pensieve, just a lot older and above it was a cabinet with lot of vials. Probably memories from descendants and Slytherin himself. There had to be a thousand memories in the crystal entrapment.

"Come on, we have to hurry if we want to get back to the dorms before eleven." Meredith took Hermione's hand and used her left to drawl the memories she wanted from her mind with her holly wand, dropping them into the Pensieve and letting them settle before looking at Hermione. "Ready?"

Hermione nodded and the two girls plunged into the Pensieve. It was one of the strangest sensations Hermione had ever felt right next to Time Turners and Portkeys. Soon enough she felt solid ground bellow her and found herself in a room, what seemed like a well organized and old fashioned sitting room.

"This is the first time I was pulled into the dreamscape with Tom," Meredith muttered at her side and she gazed at the scene noticing her friend's memory self was looking around, her back turned to who she assumed to be Voldemort.

He wasn't as she'd expected, not snake like or deformed like she'd been led to believe and had seen last year at the Ministry Atrium. He didn't look much older then them, maybe twenty-five at the oldest with a very handsome face and wavy black hair, pale skin and red eyes - the only inhuman part about him it seemed.

"What are you doing here?" The voice was velvety smooth and charming without even trying but also had a underline of a promise, a promise of pain if he wasn't respected or answered properly, and Hermione shivered, looking at her memory friend and then back to the one beside her who was just watching with passive eyes, amusement being one of the only sparks she could glimpse from the mismatched eyes.

Meredith swung around, her red hair flying behind her as she turned.

"Voldemort?" she asked dumbly and Hermione watched as the blank yet cold mask softened a bit, curiosity burning in the Dark Lord's eyes.

It confused Hermione greatly and she continued to watch with interest as he stepped closer to her and on instinct Meredith stepped back. Hermione then noticed what Meredith wore and could only assume it was the clothes she wore to bed, a large t-shirt with the Gryffindor house crest on the left breast. Hermione remembered it well, she'd given it to her for her last birthday, and it was around two sizes too big but still only covered to mid thigh.

"Where am I, did you bring me here?"

"Hmm, no Potter I did not," Voldemort said and stopped just as she was back as far as she could get from him, her back hitting the wall. His lips quirked up in a half-smirk and he tilted his head. She shivered slightly as his eyes roamed over her body, and Hermione gulped, and could almost see the internal wish that she had worn something other then the large shirt to bed. "I assume you were asleep, or are asleep should I say."

"Merry, I don't understand," Hermione said looking at her friend. "He doesn't seem..."

"Just keep watching," Meredith said and Hermione turned back to the memory.

"_So you didn't bring me here?" Meredith asked and the man rolled his red eyes at her. _

"I believe I just said that, yes."

"Then what..."

"I do not know," he said cutting her off. "How are you this summer Merry?"

"Don't call me that."

Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "Oh, your friends do, do they not?"

"They're my friends, there is a difference Tom." Voldemort narrowed his eyes at the girl who looked defiantly back at him with mismatched eyes and he shrugged.

"Very well," he said, sitting on the same chair. "Don't just stand there, have a seat Potter."

"Why, shouldn't you be trying to kill me?" Meredith asked and he snorted. Hermione gaped.

"You actually asked him that?" Hermione asked and Meredith sent her a look that clearly told her to shut the hell up and watch the memory.

"I don't think it'd take in a dreamscape, use that brain of yours girl." He looked at her as she sat slowly on the chair that'd appeared across from him. "After all that's what it's there for."

"Funny," she muttered dryly. "Can't you send me back, I don't really want to be here."

"Nor do I, but as I don't know what brought us here I can't undo it." The silence was awkward for a few moments before Meredith couldn't take it anymore and asked.

"What happened to you? Last I saw you were sporting the snake look and no nose." Voldemort looked at her amused, though his face was rather blank she could still read his eyes like a book, though she suspected that was because he allowed her to.

"I can switch between the two forms at will, a ritual I found during the first war. You didn't think I chose to be that repugnant did you Meredith?" he said and Meredith hummed. It made since, from what she'd learned about Tom Riddle during second year he was rather vain about his looks and wouldn't have just thrown that away for power, after all what was one without the other?

"So it's jut to scare everyone out of their wits?" Voldemort smiled slightly.

"Yes, only my inner circle and now you have been blessed the chance to see my true form, which is the one you see before you in case you get any ideas." Meredith fought back a smile but lost but it was gone seconds latter as she remembered with whom she was with.

"You never did answer my question," he suddenly said. "How is your summer Meredith?"

"It'd be better if my godfather were still alive and if Bellatrix were dead," she snapped, Voldemort raised an eyebrow.

"How rather bloodthirsty of you, whatever would Dumbledore think?"

"Screw Dumbledore, Bellatrix killed Sirius and I'll kill her for it. And eye for an eye, she'll have to pay for it one day." She watched as the Dark Lord laughed, though it wasn't the evil, high pitched cold laugh she was used to, this one was almost human, but still cold enough to make her realize this was still Voldemort she was talking to.

"You intrigue me Potter."

"I don't know weather to be flattered or worried."

"Both would probably be a good start."

Hermione looked at Meredith as the memory changed, this time it was much shorter then the last.

"You attacked the Bones family," Meredith said as she trailed a hand over a few books on the shelves she stood in front of.

"I did," he said looking up from his book. "I wasn't aware the old man was giving you news on my actions."

She snorted as she turned. "He doesn't. Just because you don't actively venture to send me visions anymore doesn't mean I don't see into your mind at times. I didn't see much, just that you killed Amelia Bones."

"Odd, I had thought I had closed the link for good," he said. "Why don't you read something Potter, your moving around constantly is getting on my nerves."

"Forgive me your lordship, I was unaware," she said smirking mischievously. She bit the inside of her cheek as his red eyes caught her green and hazel ones.

"You're asking me to kill you aren't you Meredith?" he asked standing. She took in gulp of air as he approached her, standing close enough she could smell some sort of cologne on him, her back against the book shelf.

"Careful Mer, your Slytherin side is showing," he whispered as he brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and moved away, leaving her to breathe out and glare at his back.

Hermione couldn't help but find the display cute if not disturbing.

"That was three days after the first dreamscape. There was more to it but we'd be here for a long time if I showed you every single one in full detail," Meredith said and the scene changed once again. This time they were in the same room yet Meredith seemed to be holding a book in her lap as Voldemort smirked.

"Now your sounding like me," he said. "Whatever would Dumbledore think."

"I thought we'd been over this before, I don't care what he thinks," she said shrugging and opening the book. She began read after a moment and several seconds latter a shadow obscured her view. She looked up and her gaze locked with his.

"I'll teach you how to become an animagus, but you'll need to brew a potion to find your animal," he said and then smirked. "If you have one that is."

"Just tell me what I have to do," she said and he took the book out of her hands, laying it on the table before turning and walking to the book shelves.

"First you memorize the potion," he said before turning to look at her, a new book in hand. "Don't look so glum Meredith. It's not like you made a deal with the devil."

Hermione snorted as the scene changed. Wasn't that exactly what Meredith had done? So far these memories were not showing her anything to change her view of Voldemort. He was mean, cruel and spiteful, even to Merry it seemed.

"You were serious, about not wanting to fight me?" he asked and stood walking closer to her before bending down on his knees to be more eye level with her. She stared him in the eyes and nodded.

"I am, I never really chose a side, I was expected to be with the light because of my parents, because of being the girl who lived but I don't want to. I don't want to join you either, I want nothing to do with prophecies, or wars. If I am attacked I'll defend myself and my friends but otherwise I just want to be left alone," she said, and though she fought it he could see the tears build up in her mismatched eyes. He felt a slight pain in his chest which he was at a lost for, why would her tears cause him pain?

"Then it's over," he said smirking at her confused expression which made her rather cute, if not adorable.

"Huh?" he chuckled.

"You're neutral and as long as you promise, swear not to attack me and mine without provocation from them first – that means they fire the first curse – then I won't attack you and your chosen. I will give you the choice of one hundred people, no more, and no less, I swear." She watched in stunned amazement as a flash of golden light came over the room and she took his offered hand, shivering slightly at the spark the traveled up her and down her body as his skin touched hers. It wasn't unpleasant and if she would admit it, it was sort of arousing but she'd never say this allowed.

"I swear to no attack the Dark Lord or his followers as long as they do not attack me first. I swear this," she said and the same light flashed but this time strings of magic or slithered around their joined hands in golden and green and black like snakes before melting into their skin.

"Was, was that a unbreakable vow?" she asked shocked, she didn't know what the unbreakable vow involved just that what she'd read one of the days while in the dreamscape. Tom lips quirked up in an amused smile and he almost hesitantly slid his hand from hers and stood, coming to sit beside her, though she was thankful he didn't sit close to her, but almost an arms length away. They both turned to face each other on the couch like thing, which was only slightly awkward.

"No, that is simply to dangerous and we don't have a Bonder here. It was a vow but the worse that could happen if broken is pain similar to a cruciatus curse and a magical coma, but neither would be permanent. I am trusting you to keep up your end of the bargain as I swore to keep mine up."

"I swore, and I always keep my promises." After a second of staring at each other she smiled coyly. "What do you know of Occlumency Tom?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked slowly.

"I know enough to be a master, you wish me to teach you I assume?"

"If you would, we don't want Dumbledore to catch on now do we?" he laughed at the irony of Dumbledore's Golden Princess doing something behind his back, and she smiled.

Hermione gaped at the memory as it changed. She couldn't believe it, that was why she was so sure he wouldn't hurt them unless they attacked first!

"I can't believe you, and he...he just gave an oath, just like that!" Meredith chuckled at Hermione's shock and the turned back to the memories floating by them. Hermione was shocked, not only by the dreamscapes but there was one memory that cemented just what Meredith had been trying to tell her into her mind.

"This next was is more recent and it's not a dreamscape. It's what happened after I was captured," Meredith explained and Hermione turned to watch the memory as it played out before her.

"Tom?" He looked at her then and let his lips bend into a small smile, to assure her.

"Are you alright, Merry?" Tom asked and he noticed as she flexed her right hand, and Hermione realized it had been hurt in the battle from the bloody wound on her hand. "Who did this to you?"

His teeth were ground together as he stared at the gaping wound on her ivory while hand. He reached forward, gently taking her hand into his and bringing his wand down to it.

"I'm not exactly sure. I think it was Bellatrix." Tom's eyes narrowed.

"What happened Tom?" Meredith asked. "Did you change the time?" Tom sighed and Nagini looked between the two before turning and sliding out the door.

"I did not, they foolishly attacked early without my knowledge." He ran a hand down Meredith's cheek. "They will be punished."

Tom sat down on the edge of the best and Meredith looked at him through large eyes. She couldn't believe he was really here.

"This isn't a dream, is it?" she asked and Tom raised an eyebrow.

"Not even a little bit, though maybe it is. It's not very often someone can make a evil man love," he said shrugging and Meredith's eyes snapped up in shock. He looked away, not willing to admit what he had admitted to himself even if grudgingly, and he knew Meredith wasn't going to call him out on it since she hadn't yet.

"It's not everyday evil Dark Lord's are forgiven by there victims." He looked over at her and almost wished he hadn't.

"Meredith..." he trailed off as he said her name softly and he thought of what to say or how to begin. He felt her shift on the bed and looked over at her, realizing she was checking a wand hostler on her right arm, and then her left.

"My wand, did they bring it with them?" Meredith asked, and then lowered the sleeve covering her new unregistered wand. Tom blinked and then sighed, letting out a small chuckle.

"They did not, I assume one of your friends has it. Or it is still in the Alley." Tom ran a hand through his hair and sighed and he flinched only slightly as she moved behind him, wrapping her arm over his shoulders, pressing her front against his back and resting her chin on his shoulder, kissing his cheek as she did so.

"What's wrong Tom? My scar keeps twitching, and it starting to annoy me." He chuckled again.

"I have to...on a risk of sounding cliché...make a confession," he said he felt Meredith stiffen for a split second.

"You can tell me anything, call me crazy but I don't think anything you can admit to will change anything between us. It's already to late, I'm yours." Tom sighed.

"That's what I'm afraid of," he admitted, and Hermione could tell it was real. It was so different from the very first memories, in this one he actually seemed to mean every word he spoke. "You know I care for you Redbird, more then I can ever remember caring for anyone, not that the list is long."

Meredith listened with rapt attention and he knew it. "When this began, my intentions were less then pure. I was still suffering from effects of regaining the diary soul piece and even with it I was still severely damaged with a little less then half a soul. Something no mortal should have, the soul is fragile as it is strong you see. I had planed to sway you to my side using my charms and to put it bluntly seduction, to make you dependent on me to love me."

"I'm not surprised." He startled, standing up and looking at her. She was sitting with her knees tucked under her, a sad but understanding look on her face.

"Did you really think I trusted you in the beginning? I was just so tired of fighting you then, so alone. I was aware that you were probably just using me but I didn't care." Her voice got choked. "I just wanted someone to love me even if it was pretend, I came to terms subconsciously that as long as you pretended to love me I'd do anything for you." She shook her head.

"It scared me, I was so afraid, the oath made it easier I think but until now I don't think I realized how easy it would be for you to rebuke on it. It wouldn't kill either of us and I can't even hate you for that, because I am as much to blame as you."

Tom was speechless. "Why?"

"Because I love you. I never banked on actually falling in love with you, and I never banked on being able to actually forgive you for everything but to me it's not really your fault. If you had been sane would you have fallen for the Prophecy? You might have eventually killed my parents but it was a war, these things happen and I don't excuse you for it but I can forgive it. You didn't kill Sirius, you didn't kidnap him and torture him, you didn't whisper into his ear and make him go to the Ministry. That fault lies with me, Bellatrix, Sirius, and Dumbledore. Compared to what Dumbledore and the light has put me through you've been kind."

Hermione found herself back outside the Pensieve after that, along with Meredith who was standing with a almost pleading look in her eyes, both appearing just as green as the other. Hermione flung herself at her friend, tears in her brown eyes. She had never realized just how spending her life with her relatives had effected Meredith and the proof tore at her heart. She couldn't even imagine how much it would have change her if she had grown up with relatives who hated the very air she breathed.

"I had no idea," Hermione said as she controlled her tears as best she could.

"I didn't show you that to make you pity me, or guilt you into keeping Tom a secret Mione," Meredith said as they pulled apart. "I showed you because I knew it would be the only way you'd accept my choice."

"I can understand, I can't say I could ever join his cause but I'll keep out of it. I'll be neutral, besides I can tell your mind is made up as well as your heart. As it is, the Light has already lost." Meredith smiled and hugged her friend.

"Let's go, I think it's time to get some sleep," Meredith said and the two turned to leave.

"Hey, didn't the sorting hat mention the light having lost?" Hermione asked and Meredith snorted.

"huh, I guess it did." The two laughed as the door shut behind them.

**xXx**

The next couple days were a blur to Meredith. Although she watched her two friends more closely over the next few days – stemming from the fact she was still nervous about Hermione knowing her secret - Ron and Hermione did not seem any different except that they were a little politer to each other than usual. It was almost as if Hermione was skillfully avoiding anything to do with the topic of loyalties and Voldemort at all.

Meredith supposed she would just have to wait to see what happened under the influence of butterbeer in Slughorn's dimly lit room on the night of the party, which was still rather far away, almost two months.

In the meantime, however, she had more pressing worries.

Katie Bell was still in St. Mungo's Hospital with no prospect of leaving, which meant that the promising Gryffindor team Meredith had been training so carefully since September was one Chaser short. She kept putting off replacing Katie in the hope that she would return, but their opening match against Slytherin was looming, and she finally had to accept that she would not be back in time to play.

Meredith did not think she could stand another full-House tryout. With a sinking feeling that had little to do with Quidditch, she cornered Seamus that Friday and told him to be ready for the game. She had been weary because he hadn't been the best flyer and with Dean's recent death she didn't want to upset the Irish boy who'd been as thick as thieves with the other boy.

With a little under four minutes left until Transfiguration she went about finding her wayward cousin. Not for the first time she was greatly happy for the assistance of the Marauder's Map.

"We need to talk," Meredith whispered as she passed Malfoy and headed around the corner to the bathroom. She didn't have to wait long until the boy passed by and she grabbed his robe and pulled him into the bathroom with her, shutting the door behind her as quietly as possible.

"What the hell is this about Potter!" Malfoy sneered and she rolled her eyes.

"Is that all you're able to do cousin, sneer and smirk?" Meredith sighed. "God you're so predictable. Look I know what you did to Katie..."

"You don't know anything," Malfoy snapped, and Meredith glared.

"Shh," Meredith hissed. "I also know you didn't mean her to touch it and I don't know who you meant it for I do know it was the stupidest move I've ever seen anyone make."

Malfoy gaped at the redhead in front of him. "What?"

Meredith shook her head and grabbed onto Malfoy's left arm and forced the sleeve up. It didn't surprise her to see the animated black skull and snake that made the Dark Mark.

"Hey!" Malfoy growled as he wrenched his arm out of her grip, she let him go easily. "So now you know, what do you plan to do now Princess?"

Meredith raised an eyebrow and her hand shut up and gripped the taller boys chin in a tight grip. "I know as well as you do that once I am seventeen I become Head of the Houses of Potter and Black. You're mother is a Black by blood and birth, you are by blood. I too have Black blood, almost as potent as yours and I take care of my own." She released him.

"I can't very well turn you in Draco when I myself could be considered a traitor." Draco's eyes widened and his silvery orbs shot down to her left arm where she rolled her eyes and rolled it up, showing him bare ivory skin.

"I'm not a Death Eater, technically I am neutral in this war, but I am involved with the dark side a bit more then others. I guess you could say I am a neutral dark supporter." Draco stared at her for a moment and nodded.

"So this whole time, this game you've been playing?" Draco asked and Meredith smirked. "Bloody Hell Potter! I've been looking over my shoulder for months now thinking you're going to jump out at me at any moment!"

Meredith chuckled. "Don't be so over dramatic Draco, we've only been in term for a month and a half." Draco scowled at her and she shrugged.

"Now, I have something I need to get for the Dark Lord. It's in the Room of Requirement." Seeing the blonds surprised look she rolled her eyes. "Don't look so surprised. Now, I think the best time would be around Christmas, more precisely the night of Slughorn's party, I need you to take me to the room and allow me inside – not that I don't already know where it is but it'll be easier if you're with me." She straightened the boys tie as she talked.

"So, cousin would you like to accompany me to Slughorn's Christmas ball?" she asked patting the wrinkles out of his robes on either side of his chest before lowering her hands to her side. Draco stared at her in wonder, and nodded.

"How the hell did you get into Gryffindor?" he asked and she smiled.

"I talked to it," she said shrugging. "Asked it to put me in Gryffindor, after all the world wouldn't trust a Slytherin Girl-Who-Lived would they?" Draco shook his head and Meredith grabbed his arm looping hers with his as she opened the door.

"Come on, we don't want to be late for Transfiguration."

It didn't take them long to get to class, and she was avidly ignoring the strange looks she got for being so close to Draco and waved to Hermione and Ron as she sat down, Draco beside her on the so called 'Slytherin' side of the room. Ron looked a bit lost at her decision, but a firm hand from Hermione made him stay seated as class began.

"Before we begin, I would like to remind you all that this Halloween we will be holding a Halloween ball." McGonagall began as she walked between the rows of students. "This will be a two day event. On the Thirtieth we will hold a formal ball, and on the thirty-first we shall hold a costume ball. Please be aware that date's are not mandatory but are strongly suggested for both events. The formal ball will only be open to fifth years and above while the costume ball is open to first through seventh so be aware that costumes are to be acceptable within the dress code."

The Professor clapped her hands together and smiled. "Now let's begin."

After classes she had set up practice and she found she had no reason to regret her choice once she saw Seamus fly that evening; he worked reasonably well with Ginny and Demelza. The Beaters, Peakes and Coote, were getting better all the time. The only problem was Ron.

Meredith had known all along that Ron was an inconsistent player who suffered from nerves and a lack of confidence, and unfortunately, the looming prospect of the opening game of the season seemed to have brought out all his old insecurities. After letting in half a dozen goals, most of them scored by Ginny, his technique became wilder and wilder, until he finally punched an oncoming Demelza Robins in the mouth.

"It was an accident, I'm sorry, Demelza, really sorry!" Ron shouted after her as she zigzagged back to the ground, dripping blood everywhere. "I just —"

"Panicked," Ginny said angrily, landing next to Demelza and examining her fat lip. "You prat, Ron, look at the state of her!"

Meredith sighed, her head thrown back and eyes closed before moved to help.

"I can fix that," said Meredith, landing beside the two girls, pointing her wand at Demelzas mouth, and saying "Episkey." "And Ginny, don't call Ron a prat, you're not the Captain of this team —"

"Well, you seemed too busy to call him a prat and I thought someone should —"

Meredith forced herself not to laugh.

"In the air, everyone, let's go…" She flew up with them and moved closer to Ron who she gave a stern but understanding look to. "...and Ron, please try not to punch anymore girls in the mouth. It looks bad."

Overall it was one of the worst practices they had had all term, though Meredith did not feel that honesty was the best policy when they were this close to the match.

"Good work, everyone, I think we'll flatten Slytherin," she said bracingly, 'as long as I catch the snitch' she thought as the Chasers and Beaters left the changing room looking reasonably happy with themselves.

"I played like a sack of dragon dung," said Ron in a hollow voice when the door had swung shut behind Ginny.

"No, you didn't," said Meredith firmly. "You're the best Keeper I tried out, Ron. Your only problem is nerves." She didn't want to admit that the dragon dung might have fared better then Ron had.

Nonetheless she kept up a relentless flow of encouragement all the way back to the castle, and by the time they reached the second floor, Ron was looking marginally more cheerful. When Meredith pushed open the tapestry to take their usual shortcut up to Gryffindor Tower, however, they found themselves looking at a familiar dark skinned boy and Ginny, who were locked in a close embrace and kissing fiercely as though glued together.

It didn't take Meredith long to recognize Zabini as the male practically trying to eat the girls face off. It was as though something had frozen her in her spot, this was just so unexpected it made sense and that was madness in itself.

Wrestling with this sudden madness, she heard Ron's voice as though from a great distance away.

"Oy!"

Zabini and Ginny broke apart and looked around. "What?" said Ginny.

"I don't want to find my own sister snogging people in public!"

"This was a deserted corridor till you came butting in!" said Ginny.

Zabini was looking rather nonchalant, like he hadn't done a single thing to infuriate anyone. He gave Meredith a almost smug like smirk that Meredith did not return though she did gaze at him in amusement.

"Weasley," Zabini said with a acknowledging nod. Ron sneered, his face twisted into a furious snarl.

"Zabini, what do you think you're doing with my sister?" he finally snapped and Zabini shrugged, his arm still around Ginny.

"Nothing to do with you," he replied and he turned to Ginny. "I'll see you latter, you should uh...talk to your brother."

"You go ahead!" said Ginny waving the boy off. "I want a word with my dear brother!" Zabini left soon after, nodding at Meredith as he left.

"Right," said Ginny, tossing her long red hair out of her face and glaring at Ron, "let's get this straight once and for all. It is none of your business who I go out with or what I do with them, Ron —"

"Yeah, it is!" said Ron, just as angrily. "D' you think I want people saying my sister's a —"

"A what?" shouted Ginny, drawing her wand. "A what, exactly?"

"He doesn't mean anything, Ginny —" said Meredith automatically as she glared at Ron.

"Oh yes he does!" she said, flaring up at Meredith. "Just because he's never snogged anyone in his life, just because the best kiss he's ever had is from our Auntie Muriel —"

"Shut your mouth!" bellowed Ron, bypassing red and turning maroon.

"No, I will not!" yelled Ginny, beside herself. "I've seen you with Phlegm, hoping she'll kiss you on the cheek every time you see her, it's pathetic! If you went out and got a bit of snogging done your self, you wouldn't mind so much that everyone else does it!"

Ron had pulled out his wand too; Meredith stepped swiftly between them. This had gone far enough.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Ron roared, trying to get a clear shot at Ginny around Meredith, who was now standing in front of her with her arms outstretched. "Just because I don't do it in public —!"

Ginny screamed with derisive laughter, trying to push Meredith out of the way.

"Been kissing Pigwidgeon, have you? Or have you got a picture of Auntie Muriel stashed under your pillow?"

"You —"

A streak of orange light flew under Meredith's left arm and missed Ginny by inches; Meredith pushed Ron up against the wall.

"Don't be stupid —"

"Meredith's snogged Theodore Nott!" shouted Ginny, who sounded close to tears now. "And Hermione snogged Viktor Krum, it's only you who acts like it's something disgusting, Ron, and that's because you've got about as much experience as a twelve-year-old!"

And with that, she stormed away. Meredith quickly let go of Ron; the look on her face was murderous.

"What the hell were you doing!" Meredith raged. "No, no, what were you thinking?"

"What? Didn't you see them, they were all over each other! He's a Slytherin of all things!" Meredith glared, and before either could realize her arm had swung out and her palm imprinted itself onto his face. The slap almost echoed through the corridors and Ron stared at the other redhead in shock.

They both stood there, breathing heavily, until Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, appeared around the corner, which broke the tension.

"I deserved that," Ron said and Meredith nodded.

"You did."

"C'mon," said Meredith, as the sound of Filch's shuffling feet reached their ears. "We need to get back to the dorm."

**xXx**

_Meredith fell into the dreamscape that night without even realizing it. The one thing that made this possible was the fact she appeared laying in a bed, her head resting on a soft warm chest. Moving around some she looked up, and smiled as she realized she had simply appeared beside Tom who sitting up against the headboard, a amused look on his face. _

"_Beloved," Meredith said as she sat up some, leaning her side into his. _

"_How have you been?" Tom asked. It had been a day or two since they'd last been pulled into the dreamscape, they were becoming less frequent. _

"_Fine." She bit her lip and moved so she was straddling his waist. She sniffed, running her hands over his chest slowly as she thought and then continued to speak. "I had to tell Hermione about us, about everything." _

_Tom raised an eyebrow. "She found out then?" _

"_She did. I'm a little worried but she hasn't said anything. I took her to the chamber on Tuesday, to show her some of my memories. I trust her, she's agreed to be neutral," Meredith explained and Tom nodded, reaching up and brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. _

"_I see. Anything else?" Tom asked and Meredith shook her head as she leaned down. _

"_Nope, nothing important," she said and crushed her lips to his. Tom placed his hands on her waist as the snogging session intensified. _

**xXx**

Meredith's mood had greatly improved the next morning, and as she got ready for the day, knowing she had the first game of the season she made sure to brush her hair into a high ponytail learned a long time ago leaving it down in Quidditch caused problems in the long run.

Breakfast was the usual excitable affair; the Slytherins hissed and booed loudly as every member of the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall. Meredith glanced at the ceiling and saw a clear, pale blue sky: a good omen.

The Gryffindor table, a solid mass of red and gold, cheered as Meredith and Ron approached. Meredith smiled and waved; Ron grimaced weakly and shook his head.

"Cheer up, Ron!" called Lavender. "I know you'll be brilliant!"

Ron ignored her, much to what appeared to be Hermione's pleasure.

"Tea?" Meredith asked him. "Coffee? Pumpkin juice?"

"Anything," said Ron glumly, taking a moody bite of toast.

"How are you both feeling?" Hermione asked tentatively, her eyes on the back of Ron's head. She had come down ahead of them, not in the mood to be around Ron's bad mood.

"Fine," said Meredith, who was concentrating on handing Ron a glass of pumpkin juice.

"There you go, Ron. Drink up."

Ron had just raised the glass to his lips when Hermione spoke sharply.

"Don't drink that, Ron!" Both Meredith and Ron looked up at her.

"Why not?" said Ron. Hermione was now staring at Meredith as though she could not believe her eyes.

"You just put something in that drink."

"Excuse me?" said Meredith.

"You heard me. I saw you. You just tipped something into Ron's drink. You've got the bottle in your hand right now!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Meredith, stowing the little bottle hastily in her pocket. The first rule of Slytherin, lie, lie, lie, and deny!

"Ron, I warn you, don't drink it!" Hermione said again, alarmed, but Ron picked up the glass, drained it in one gulp, and said,

"Stop bossing me around, Hermione."

She looked scandalized. Bending low so that only Meredith could hear her, she hissed, "You should be expelled for that. I'd never have believed it of you, Meredith! Wait, I take that back, he has obviously been a bad influence on you!" Meredith chuckled knowing just who the he she meant was.

"Look who's talking," she whispered back. "Confunded anyone lately?"

She stormed up the table away from them. Meredith watched her go without regret. Hermione had never really understood what a serious business Quidditch was, at least to those who loved the sport and took it seriously. Not to mention most injuries were caused by players not taking the game seriously and goofing off or being nervous. She then looked around to Ron, who was smacking his lips.

"Nearly time!' said Meredith blithely. The frosty grass crunched underfoot as they strode down to the stadium.

"Pretty lucky the weathers this good, eh?" Meredith asked Ron.

"Yeah," said Ron, who was pale and sick-looking.

Ginny and Demelza were already wearing their Quidditch robes and waiting in the changing room.

"Conditions look ideal," said Ginny, ignoring Ron. "And guess what? That Slytherin Chaser Vaisey — he took a Bludger in the head yesterday during their practice, and he's too sore to play! And even better than that — Malfoy's gone off sick too!"

"What?" said Meredith, wheeling around to stare at her. "He's ill? What's wrong with him?"

"No idea, but it's great for us," said Ginny brightly. "They're playing Harper instead; he's in my year and he's an idiot."

Meredith smiled back vaguely, but as she pulled on her scarlet robes her mind was far from Quidditch. Malfoy had once before claimed he could not play due to injury, but on that occasion he had made sure the whole match was rescheduled for a time that suited the Slytherins better. Why was he now happy to let a substitute go on?

Was he really ill, or was he faking? For once she was actually worried, but then she thought better of it. She'd seen him just yesterday, he looked fine and she figured it had more to do with his mission then being ill. She'd just have to check on the Malfoy heir latter.

"Fishy, isn't it?" she heard Ron ask in an undertone to her. "Malfoy not playing?"

"Lucky, I call it," she replied, shrugging.

"Hey!" Ron suddenly said, freezing halfway through pulling on his Keepers gloves and staring at Meredith.

"What?"

"I… you…" Ron had dropped his voice, he looked both scared and excited. "My drink… my pumpkin juice… you didn't…?"

Meredith raised her eyebrows, but said nothing except, "We'll be starting in about five minutes, you'd better get your boots on."

They walked out onto the pitch to tumultuous roars and boos. One end of the stadium was solid red and gold; the other, a sea of green and silver. Many Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had taken sides too: Amidst all the yelling and clapping Meredith could distinctly hear the roar of Luna Lovegood's famous lion-topped hat.

Meredith stepped up to Madam Hooch, the referee, who was standing ready to release the balls from the crate.

"Captains shake hands," she said, and Meredith had her hand practically crushed by the new Slytherin Captain, Urquhart. A rather unattractive Slytherin who seemed to have a permanent snarl on his face. "Mount your brooms. On the whistle… three… two… one…"

The whistle sounded, Meredith and the others kicked off hard from the frozen ground, and they were away. The game had begun.

Meredith soared around the perimeter of the grounds, looking around for the Snitch and keeping one eye on Harper, who was zigzagging far below her. Then a voice that was jarringly different to the usual commentator's started up.

"Well, there they go, and I think we're all surprised to see the team that Potter's put together this year. Many thought, given Ronald Weasley's patchy performance as Keeper last year, that he might be off the team, but of course, a close personal friendship of questionable lengths with the Captain does help…"

These words were greeted with jeers and applause from the Slytherin end of the pitch. Meredith craned around on her broom to look toward the commentator's podium. A tall, skinny blond boy with an upturned nose was standing there, talking into the magical megaphone that had once been Lee Jordan's; Meredith recognized Zacharias Smith, a Hufflepuff player whom she heartily disliked and had since second year. The boy was a nuisance and needed a good beating in her opinion.

"Oh, and here comes Slytherin's first attempt on goal, it's Urquhart streaking down the pitch and —"

Meredith's stomach turned over.

"— Weasley saves it, well, he's bound to get lucky sometimes, I suppose…"

"That's right, Smith, he is," muttered Meredith, grinning to herself, as she dived amongst the Chasers with her eyes searching all around for some hint of the elusive Snitch.

With half an hour of the game gone, Gryffindor were leading sixty points to zero, Ron having made some truly spectacular saves, some by the very tips of his gloves, and Ginny having scored four of Gryffindor's six goals. This effectively stopped Zacharias wondering loudly whether the two Weasleys were only there because Meredith liked them, and he started on Peakes and Coote instead.

"Of course, Coote isn't really the usual build for a Beater," said Zacharias loftily, "they've generally got a bit more muscle —"

"Hit a Bludger at him!" Meredith called to Coote as she zoomed past, but Coote, grinning broadly, chose to aim the next Bludger at Harper instead, who was just passing Meredith in the opposite direction. Meredith was pleased to hear the dull thunk that meant the Bludger had found its mark.

"That was great, but seriously," she said her smile turning serious as she she flew back around to Coote. "Hit a Bludger at him." With that she flew off in the direction she'd came, happy to note that a Bludger was hit moments latter and came inches from hitting Smith in the face.

It seemed as though Gryffindor could do no wrong. Again and again they scored, and again and again, at the other end of the pitch, Ron saved goals with apparent ease. He was actually smiling now, and when the crowd greeted a particularly good save with a rousing chorus of the old favorite "Weasley Is Our King," he pretended to conduct them from on high.

"Thinks he's something special today, doesn't he?" said a snide voice, and Meredith was nearly knocked off her broom as Harper collided with her hard and deliberately. "Your blood-traitor pal…"

"Keep you trap shut Harper, or I'll conveniently forget we're fifty feet in the air and reintroduce you to the ground." She sneered, and Harper stared at her for a moment, and then Harper had sped off. Her shoulder aching, Meredith raced after him, determined to ram him back…her day going from good to annoying within an hour.

"And I think Harper of Slytherin's seen the Snitch!" said Zacharias Smith through his megaphone. "Yes, he's certainly seen something Potter hasn't!"

Smith really was an idiot, thought Meredith, hadn't he noticed them collide? But next moment, her stomach seemed to drop out of the, sky — Smith was right and Meredith was wrong: Harper had not sped upward at random; he had spotted what Meredith had not: The Snitch was speeding along high above them, glinting brightly against the clear blue sky.

Meredith accelerated; the wind was whistling in her ears so that it drowned all sound of Smith's commentary or the crowd, but Harper was still ahead of her, and Gryffindor was only a hundred points up; if Harper got there first Gryffindor had lost… and now Harper was feet from it, his hand outstretched…she would have play dirty, like a Slytherin. It would definitely throw Harper off and wasn't illegal either.

"Oy, Harper!" yelled Meredith in desperation. "How much did Malfoy pay you to come on instead of him? The Dark Lord must be getting antsy waiting all this time!"

She did not know what made her say it and she was grateful they were so high up no one would hear, but Harper did a double-take; he fumbled the Snitch, let it slip through his fingers, and shot right past it. Meredith made a great swipe for the tiny, fluttering ball and caught it.

"YES!" Meredith yelled.

Wheeling around, she hurtled back toward the ground, the Snitch held high in her hand. As the crowd realized what had happened, a great shout went up that almost drowned the sound of the whistle that signaled the end of the game.

"Ginny, where are you going?" yelled Meredith, who had found her self trapped in the midst of a mass midair hug with the rest of the team, but Ginny sped right on past them until, with an almighty crash, she collided with the commentators podium.

As the crowd shrieked and laughed, the Gryffindor team landed beside the wreckage of wood under which Zacharias was feebly stirring; Meredith heard Ginny saying blithely to an irate Professor McGonagall, "Forgot to brake, Professor, sorry."

Laughing, Meredith broke free of the rest of the team and hugged Ginny, and when she released the slightly shorter girl she clapped Ron on the back and hugged the taller boy quickly. All enmity forgotten, the Gryffindor team left the pitch arm in arm, punching the air and waving to their supporters.

The atmosphere in the changing room was jubilant. "Party up in the common room," Seamus said exuberantly. "C'mon, Ginny, Demelza!"

Ron and Meredith were the last two in the changing room. They were just about to leave when Hermione entered. She was twisting her Gryffindor scarf in her hands and looked upset but determined. "I want a word with you, Meredith." She took a deep breath. "You shouldn't have done it. You heard Slughorn, its illegal."

"What are you going to do, turn us in?" demanded Ron.

"What are you two talking about?" asked Meredith, turning away to hang up her robes so that neither of them would see her grinning.

"You know perfectly well what we're talking about!" said Hermione shrilly. "You spiked Ron's juice with lucky potion at breakfast! Felix Felicis!"

"No, I didn't," said Meredith, turning back to face them both.

"Yes you did, Meredith, I saw you, and that's why everything went right, there were Slytherin players missing and Ron saved everything!"

"No, you saw me put something in his drink. I didn't put it in!" said Meredith, grinning broadly. She slipped her hand inside her jacket pocket and drew out the tiny bottle that Hermione had seen in her hand that morning. It was full of golden potion and the cork was still tightly sealed with wax.

"I wanted Ron to think I'd done it, so I faked it when I knew you were looking." She looked at Ron. "You saved everything because you felt lucky. You did it all yourself."

She pocketed the potion again.

"There really wasn't anything in my pumpkin juice?" Ron said, astounded. "But the weather's good… and Vaisey couldn't play… I honestly haven't been given lucky potion?"

Meredith shook her head. Ron gaped at her for a moment, then rounded on Hermione, imitating her voice. "You added Felix Felicis to Ron's juice this morning, that's why he saved everything! See! I can save goals without help, Hermione!"

"I never said you couldn't — Ron, you thought you'd been given it too!"

But Ron had already strode past her out of the door with his broomstick over his shoulder.

"Er," said Meredith into the sudden silence; she had not expected her plan to do this, but hindsight and everything, "shall… shall we go up to the party, then?"

"You go!" said Hermione, blinking back tears. "I'm sick of Ron at the moment, I don't know what I'm supposed to have done…" And she stormed out of the changing room too.

Meredith could not see Hermione at the Gryffindor celebration party when she arrived, said party which was in full swing when she arrived. Renewed cheers and clapping greeted her appearance, and she was soon surrounded by a mob of people congratulating her.

What with trying to shake off the Creevey brothers, who wanted a blow-by-blow match analysis, and the large group of boys and girls that encircled her, laughing at her least amusing comments and batting their eyelids, it was some time before she could try and find Ron.

At last, she extricated himself from Romilda Vane – the girl from the train who she strongly suspected swung both ways - who was hinting heavily that she would like to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with her. If she wasn't already going with Draco she'd have been forced to laugh, that would definitely cause a stir. Girl-Who-Lived, goes to ball with another girl!

The wizarding world was tolerant, much more so then the muggle but she wasn't in the mood for rumors like that, again. She could still remember how scandalized Hermione had been in their fourth year when Rita Skeeter's article about them and Krum came out. As she was ducking toward the drinks table, she walked straight into Ginny, Arnold the Pygmy Puff riding on her shoulder and Crookshanks mewing hopefully at her heels.

"Looking for Ron?" she asked, smirking. "He's over there, the filthy hypocrite."

Meredith looked into the corner she was indicating and blanched. There, in full view of the whole room, stood Ron wrapped so closely around Lavender Brown it was hard to tell whose hands were whose.

"It looks like he's eating her face, doesn't it?" said Ginny dispassionately. "It's disgusting, but I suppose he's got to refine his technique somehow. Good game, Merry."

She patted her on the arm; Meredith nodding, still finding it hard to look at Ginny longer then a few minutes since Hermione had discovered her secret last Tuesday, but then she walked off to help herself to more butterbeer. Crookshanks trotted after her, his yellow eyes fixed upon Arnold.

Meredith turned away from Ron, who did not look like he would be surfacing soon, just as the portrait hole was closing and she caught a flash of brown hair. With a sinking feeling, she darted forward, sidestepped Romilda Vane again, and pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady. The corridor outside, seemed to be deserted.

"Hermione?"

She found her in the first unlocked classroom she tried. She was sitting on the teacher's desk, alone except for a small ring of twittering yellow birds circling her head, which she had clearly just conjured out of midair. Meredith could not help admiring her spell-work at a time like this, the Avis spell it appeared.

"Oh, hello, Meredith," she said in a brittle voice. "I was just practicing."

"Yeah…I noticed," said Meredith.

She really had no idea what to say to her. She was just wondering whether there was any chance that she had not noticed Ron, that she had merely left the room because the party was a little too rowdy, when she said, in an unnaturally high-pitched voice, "Ron seems to be enjoying the celebrations."

"Does he?" said Meredith, her stomach sinking. So she had seen after all.

"Don't pretend you didn't see him," said Hermione. "He wasn't exactly hiding it, was —?"

The door behind them burst open. To Meredith's horror, Ron came in, laughing, pulling Lavender by the hand.

"Oh," he said, drawing up short at the sight of Meredith and Hermione.

"Oops!" said Lavender, and she backed out of the room, giggling. The door swung shut behind her.

There was a horrible, swelling, billowing silence. Hermione was staring at Ron, who refused to look at her, but said with an odd mixture of bravado and awkwardness, "Hi, Meredith! Wondered where you'd got to!"

Hermione slid off the desk. The little flock of golden birds continued to twitter in circles around her head so that she looked like a strange, feathery model of the solar system.

"You shouldn't leave Lavender waiting outside," she said quietly. "She'll wonder where you've gone."

She walked very slowly and erectly toward the door. Meredith glanced at Ron, who was looking relieved that nothing worse had happened.

"Oppugno!" came a shriek from the doorway.

Meredith spun around to see Hermione pointing her wand at Ron, her expression wild: The little flock of birds was speeding like a hail of fat golden bullets toward Ron, who yelped and covered his face with his hands, but the birds attacked, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach.

"Gerremoffme!" he yelled, but with one last look of vindictive fury, Hermione wrenched open the door and disappeared through it. Meredith thought he heard a sob before it slammed.

"She's mental!" Ron bellowed as the birds became yellow puffs of feathers as they disintegrated. Meredith shook her head and marched past him to follow after Hermione.

"Really Ron, grow a brain and then ask yourself why Hermione would be so upset," she snapped as she left, slamming the door behind her.


	20. A Slaughter on Samhain

**Title:**Rumor Has It.**  
>Author:<strong> Parker K. Harvelle**  
>Summery: <strong>FEM!HARRY AU: Meredith Potter never thought much about love, she'd never really been shown a lot of it. Her sixth year will change everything as she stops pretending to understand where life is taking her.**  
>Pairings:<strong> Meredith/Tom (Voldemort), TBD**  
>Warnings:<strong> Some Language, mentions of child abuse and neglect, violence, torture, Dark!Harry, Fem!Harry, AU!Year 6, Manipulative Dumbledore (But not evil or dark),

**Disclaim Her: As someone who found alternative ways to read the books online and can't seen to get the money for the movies together do you really think I own Harry? Because I assure you if I did Harry would have been a bit more bitter to Dumbledore and the Dursley's and Voldemort would have lived. I own only what you don't recognize! Enjoy!**

**Note: Graphics are on profile, banner for story and Meredith is Portrayed by Karen Gillian. Also the scientific term for Meredith's eyes is heterochromia, where one eyes is another color or sometimes the eye is simply two colors at once.**

**Make sure to check my Profile from time to time for graphic updates. You'll never know when I'll add something.**

**Notice: I am aware some mistypes may have occurred, placing His and Him where it should be her and she but that is simply a typo. Were I am tacking bits from the book while typing, sometimes I forget to change it. I will be going back over these chapters to make sure it's fixed so if you notice please let me know through PM or Review and if you can mention the paragraph/scene so I can find it easier. Thanks!**

******A/N 5/11/12: Sorry it's taken me so long everyone, my muse was being a bitch, and things have gotten a bit busy lately. Anyways here is the next chapter and I hope you all have like it. There is quite the grotesque scene at the end, so be warned for severe violence and death. I will have images up of the dresses and costumes soon enough, by tomorrow I think. So remember to keep an eye on my profile for that. I'll remind you again when I update next. ******

******Also everyone who do you think Hermione should end up with, find out more at the bottom so I don't give away any of the story. Anyways, Enjoy!****  
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><p><strong>Rumor Has It.<strong>

**Chapter 19: A Slaughter on Samhain.**

The Sunday following the Quidditch game was another Hogsmeade day, for those who needed to get their dress robes and Halloween costumes. This time the village was crawling with Aurors, and most the adults were looking over their shoulders every few minutes. Some students were not much better. She had gone with Ginny, Luna and Hermione – who was no talking with Ron at all. Her silent treatments and acting as if he wasn't there were a testament to how angry and upset she was with the redheaded boy.

It was all sort of annoying to Meredith, they had thought the boy had grown up some since last year and the brain incident. In a way he had but he was still rather insensitive and seemed as clueless as he had been when she'd left him in the abandoned classroom to go after Hermione. She found the girl half an hour latter in the Dueling Chamber – which she'd been able to show most the D.A. During the week before the game – crying her eyes out.

Truth be told she couldn't see the attraction between her best friends. Ron was immature at the worst of times and while intelligent in his won right and loyal he was rather stunted emotionally when it came to girls. She wasn't even sure if the second youngest Weasley felt for Hermione what she assumed Hermione felt for him.

It wasn't much of a secret among the other sixth years that Hermione had a crush on Ron, it was one reason she was so angry with Lavender. Not that they got on too well before but now she wanted nothing more then to curse the girl with a tongue tying spell every time she went on about Won-Won.

It was pathetic, and she wondered if the girl was spiking herself with love potion just to accomplish the crazy stalker like personality when it came to Ron. The girl needed a reality check in Meredith's opinion.

"What do you think of these?" Ginny asked for the millionth time, or what felt like it anyways. She had better luck then either of her friends and had found her dress robes earlier, but two hours latter and they were still in the formal section of Madam Malkins searching for dress robes, her were packaged at her side.

Meredith looked over at the redhead as she held up a light petal pink dress robe which while looking good against her skin tone did nothing for her vibrant red hair. "There pretty, but the color..." she trailed off and Ginny sighed placing the robes back on the rack.

"Merlin, I hate my hair sometimes," Ginny muttered and Meredith chuckled. "You don't seem to have the problem."

Meredith shrugged. "My hair is darker, and I can't wear yellow or pink either Gin – at least not like that." She'd actually never tried, she wasn't fond of either yellow or pink. Her favorite colors were green and purple.

"We'll, I've found mine," Hermione said as she stood in front of a mirror, the dress robes on, minus the robe part which was basically just a sheer gold shawl that fell just past her waist when wrapped over her shoulders. It was a full dress which looked similar to a muggle ball gown and was a light blue, some might say a powder blue and seemed to be made from some sort of magical cotton.

It looked great on her and she wasn't the only one to agree from the envious looks Ginny was sending the bushy haired brunette. Standing up Meredith walked around, looking at a rack of rather lovely dress robes. They were more expensive, Ginny being a very tight budget was looking at some of the second hand and shabbier robes. Most of which either didn't go with her hair or her skin or simply made her look frumpy.

Green, blue, gray, silver, gold, rose, lavender...Meredith stopped as she went to move on to the next dress robe. Pulling the lavender colored robe off the rack she moved back over to Ginny who was holding a gold dress to herself but it was an off god and didn't go with her body shape or coloring at all.

"Gin, try this," Meredith said as she handed the other girl the lavender dress robe which was a lavender with a lavender Rose on the left side where the fabrics made a layered style and a lighter cotton like fabric, possibly the magic equivalent of cashmere was under it going to her ankles. It would be perfect on Ginny.

"It's perfect," Ginny gasped but her face quickly dropped upon seeing the price. "I don't have fifty galleons though Merry."

"Don't worry I'll pay the difference," Meredith said and Ginny stared at her friend.

"No, I can't let you do that! I'll just get the blue and ivory dress, it's..." Meredith interrupted her with a stern voice.

"It's not the one you want," she said. "I don't mind, Ginny I have a lot of money, I won't miss a few extra galleons."

"It's twenty galleons Meredith, I only have twenty-five on me."

"Think of it like a late birthday present, I've missed most of them anyways," Meredith said with a small smile. "Please."

Ginny sighed and then nodded. "Thank you Mer, I...just thank you!" she said hugging her friend and Meredith laughed. Her laughter died though as she noticed the man standing outside the shop with a small smirk, and while his hair was a dark brown instead of black and his pale skin was tanner, and his eyes a pale green/blue instead of crimson she knew who it was in an instant. She just hoped Ginny wouldn't if she turned around.

"I have to go..." she trailed off as she pulled away. "...do something. I'll meet you all at the Three Broomsticks!"

"Meredith!" Hermione called as her friend darted out of the shop, leaving her and Ginny alone to pay for the purchases. It was a good thing she'd shoved her money pouch into Hermione's hands as she'd passed or they'd be unable to buy Ginny's robes.

Meredith looked around as she stepped into the modestly busy street. Turning around she gasped as she ran into a hard chest.

"Clumsy today aren't you Ms. Potter?" Meredith smiled, his appearance may have been glamored but she knew his voice anywhere.

"Sorry Mr. Riddle, I wasn't looking where I was going." Tom laughed and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I do believe it's Thompson, Marvin Thompson wasn't it?" Meredith blushed, burrowing her head in his chest.

"Well, I had to think of a name for you, my friends know your real name and Dumbledore," she explained looking back up into green/blue eyes, that while pretty weren't the color she was used to nor were they the charcoal green of his youth. "Besides I think Marvin Royce Thompson has a ring to it. Marvin is also a name related to Merlin which I'm sure your huge ego can stroke itself on."

"Hmm, how about you stroke it for me?" Tom whispered into her ear and Meredith blushed again, laughing. Tom hook his elbow with Meredith's and the two began to walk down the street, with no particular destination in mind.

"Someones been busy," she said as she leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked. Tom shrugged.

"Bellatrix brought me the cup on Wednesday," he said and Meredith looked up at him sharply. He smiled, one of those rare ones. "It wasn't easy, I don't regret easily and the process of undoing a Horcrux without actually destroying the base is...difficult to say the least."

"That's why we haven't been in the dreamscape lately," she realized and Tom nodded.

"Yes, I have something for you though,"Tom answered as he stopped in front of a parchment and writing supplies store which Meredith couldn't quite recall the name too.

"What..." Meredith was cut off as Tom pulled out a locket, a very familiar locket with an 's' on the front. She had seen it often enough in the Chamber, Slytherin's locket and one of his Horcruxes. Or at least it was.

"When my Death Eaters raided Umbridge's home this was found. I was obviously surprised and outraged as it wasn't where it should be, but nonetheless relieved. It is the one chose to keep intact, the Horcrux is gone now, back where it belongs but I wanted you to have it." Tom unclasped it before he reached out, and clasped it around Meredith's slender neck. The locket fell just above the valley between her breast. She smiled, she'd never been given something so personal before.

"Are you sure, it was your mothers..." Tom smiled, and leaned down, kissing her soundly and effectively shutting her up. The kiss was sweet and much gentler then any they'd shared, and as her arms moved to wrap around his neck she sunk into his embrace. The kiss ended suddenly after a series of flashes and clicks sounded.

"Beautiful, any comments from the chosen one herself and her mysterious older lover?" Rita Skeeter asked as her two photographers backed away. Meredith glared and Tom wrapped his arm around her waist and sneered at the reporter.

"No," he spat and led Meredith away, towards the shrieking shack, though they didn't go inside.

"I'm sorry about that," he said and Meredith shrugged, snuggling into his side.

"Don't worry about it," she said as she looked at him. "I love you."

Tom smiled, his eyes softening and for a split second she thought she saw them glaze over with a sheen of tears but it was gone before she could even question herself. He kissed her forehead and she smiled, he may not have said it back but she could wait, because she knew he at least care deeply for her.

**xXx**

Hermione sighed as she sipped on her butterbeer. Ginny had abandoned her to sit with Zabini a few minutes after they'd arrived at the Three Broomsticks and Meredith was god knows where. Ron didn't seem to be fairing to bad without her, she decided as she glared at the back corner where Ron and Lavender were all over each other. It was a disgusting display and if it hadn't been for the fact she'd cried all the tears she could over Ron she might have teared up at the sight.

Maybe she was hoping for too much? Maybe Ron and her together was to much of a pipe dream to work out, what did they really have in common besides Meredith? She was intelligent, loved to read and was slightly anti-social and Ron was...well he was out going and loud, ate like it was going to jump out of his plate and walk away. She sighed, staring down at her glass.

"Well, if it isn't Ms. Granger," a familiar voice said and she looked, surprised to see the pale freckled face and red hair of Fred...or was it George?

"Uh, George?" she questioned and the redhead smiled as he sat down across from her.

"Nah, Fred," he said and leaned forward, looking either way as if looking to make sure none were around. "I'll tell you a secret, you can tell us apart by our eyes." Hermione blinked.

"I don't get it, you both have blue eyes." Fred chuckled and winked.

"So we do, but mine are lighter blue then Georges." Hermione looked into his eyes and gaped, he was right. Unlike George, or even Ron who had the same blue eyes his were the darker royal color but a clear blue, almost like the sky but a tiny bit darker. If you were not looking at it you'd never tell his eyes were different from his siblings.

"Why are you here Fred? Can't be just to find us?" she asked and Fred leaned back, his arm tucked behind his head as he grinned. It was the first time in a while she'd be around one of the twins and she couldn't help but notice as cute Fred looked like that.

"I was just around, Dumbledore asked some of the order members to patrol the village and here I am," he said. "I heard from Ginny what Ron did, or didn't do. Sorry about him he's a bit thick."

Hermione chuckled. "Yeah, I've come to realize that."

"Between the two of us, Ron was dropped on his head a lot by Percy as a baby." Hermione looked at Fred in shock as he grinned his eyes sparkling mischievously. "But shh, don't tell, no one but me, George and Perce know the story."

Hermione smiled. "Tell what?" Fred laughed and looked over to see what a lot of the customers were staring at and grimaced.

"Merlin, doesn't he have any manners?" Fred said standing up and holding out his hand to her. "Come on Mione, we'll go to Honeydukes, my treat." Hermione looked from her half full butterbeer and then towards Ron and Lavender before huffing and standing up.

"Sure, let me just tell Gin where I'm going." Fred nodded and wait for her to return, noting the boy with Ginny had a green and silver scarf on, marking him as a Slytherin. He snorted, trust his baby sister to fall for the snake. Moments latter the two left, never noticing the confused, upset, and jealous blue eyes watching them leave.

"Won Won, everything okay?" Lavender asked drawling his attention back to her. Ron blinked and nodded, never having time to talk as Lavender's mouth latched back onto his.

**xXx**

The following two weeks before the first Halloween ball was strange to say the least, not to mention stressful to her. She was only thankful the first D.A. Meeting wasn't until November or she'd have cracked before the Halloween balls. Meredith had used the spell Hermione had taught her to hide her charm bracelet which would let the world know the families she was heir to keep the locket hidden from Dumbledore.

She wasn't positive he'd recognize it for what it was but with the extra attention Snape and the Headmaster were paying her she knew she'd have to watch her back.

After he'd given her the locket they'd gone to Riddle Manor so she could help him destroy the cup which would leave him in a near useless way for a day or two once destroyed since it was in a way more forceful then remorse. Though oddly enough not as deadly. While there he'd explained to her that he had found a solution to the cat problem.

"So this will do what?" she asked as Tom took the long strand of red hair from her and placed it in the cauldron.

"It's rather dark magic, a Golem is what they're called. Most who venture into this field are those who study necromancy. I don't but this isn't considered to be Death Magic, just dark. The potion will soak into a clay shape, in this instance your animagus form and then take on actions and mannerisms of your form."

"What's to stop Snape from realizing what it is?" she asked and Tom smirked.

"He won't be allowed that close to it, besides the only way he'd be able to tell is if he felt for a pulse. It won't have one because technically it's not a living being, it's a animated clay pot."

Needless to say she'd been amazed at the finished result. When she had returned to the village and found her friends she'd found that Ginny had met up with Zabini and for some reason, much to her surprise, Hermione had gone off with Fred Weasley. For a moment she thought maybe things between her friends would improve because of this, even if it was Fred and not Ron she'd gone off with at least it wasn't someone like McLaggen.

Ron didn't seem phased at first glance, and although Merry much preferred this new laughing, joking Ron to the moody, aggressive model she had been enduring for the last few weeks, the improved Ron came at a heavy price. Firstly, Meredith had to put up with the frequent presence of Lavender Brown, who seemed to regard any moment that she was not kissing Ron as a moment wasted; and secondly, Meredith found herself once more the best friend of two people who seemed unlikely ever to speak to each other again.

Ron, whose hands and forearms still bore scratches and cuts from Hermione's bird attack, was taking a defensive and resentful tone.

"She can't complain," he told Meredith with a sneer, something she was beginning to worry about since he was more often then not seen with one on his face these days. "She snogged Krum. So she's found out someone wants to snog me too. Well, it's a free country. I haven't done anything wrong."

"Maybe by your book Ronald," Ginny hissed as she speared her eggs angrily. "But we all think your relationship with Lavender is disgustingly public and if you seriously can't see that Hermione li -"

"Ginny!" Neville hissed elbowing her in the ribs and shaking her head. He didn't need to worry though Ron was blinking in confusion and Meredith sighed.

She didn't answer, but pretended to be absorbed in the book they were supposed to have read before Charms next morning (Quintessence: A Quest). Determined as she was to remain friends with both Ron and Hermione, she was spending a lot of time with her mouth shut tight. It was beginning to grate on her nerves. But anytime she did open her mouth it didn't seem to matter, they both interrupted or cut her off, in other words she couldn't get a word in edge wise.

"I never promised Hermione anything," Ron mumbled. "I mean, all right, I was going to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with her, but she never said… just as friends… I'm a free agent…"

Meredith turned a page of Quintessence, aware that Ron was watching her and she bit her tongue. She could feel her temper rising and she didn't want to make a scene now, in the great hall. Ron's voice trailed away in mutters, barely audible over the loud mutters and whispers of the hall, though Meredith thought She caught the words "Krum" and "Can't complain" again.

Hermione's schedule was so full that Meredith could only talk to her properly in the evenings, when Ron was, in any case, so tightly wrapped around Lavender that he did not notice what Meredith was doing. Hermione refused to sit in the common room while Ron was there, so Meredith generally joined her in the library, which meant that their conversations were held in whispers.

"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes," said Hermione, while the librarian, Madam Pince, prowled the shelves behind them. "I really couldn't care less. I don't know why I even like him, he's pig, rude and –" Hermione's voice cracked as she sniffed, and she was sure the brunette was hiding tearful eyes.

She raised her quill and dotted an 'i' so ferociously that she punctured a hole in her parchment. Meredith sighed.

"What about Fred?" Hermione stopped short but it was only for a moment.

"And incidentally," said Hermione, after a few moments, "you need to be careful."

"If this is about Tom again – " Meredith began and Hermione shook her head.

"No, I've resigned myself to that can of worms. No, I mean around Snape and The Headmaster."

Meredith raised an eyebrow. "Are you seriously going against authority?" Hermione laughed humorlessly.

"My best friend and sister has pretty much joined the Dark Side, I could pull some cliché star wars quote but I think we both know that I'm with you." She smiled. "Even if it does mean leaving the light. I can handle being neutral, I actually think it's better for me and my parents, less chance I'll get them killed in the long run."

"Thanks Hermione," Meredith said smiling and then smirked. "And about Fred."

Hermione shook her head and powered on as if she'd never spoken the last part.

"Incidentally I was also talking about earlier. I went into the girl's bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including that Romilda Vane, who was trying to decide how to slip you a love potion." Hermione shook her head, and rolled her eyes. "At first I was a bit shocked, I've never actually thought a girl would give another girl a love potion, not that I'm against that or anything it's just that -" Meredith laughed.

"You're Muggle raised Mione, it's something we all go through. We're not used to it being tolerated so openly." Hermione nodded.

"Exactly, anyways I just want you to be careful."

"Promise," Meredith said. "Now about Fred -"

"MEREDITH!"

**xXx**

"Wow, we look -" Ginny trailed off and Meredith finished the sentence for her.

"Amazing, inspiring..." Meredith listed and Hermione finished in an almost questioning way.

"Sexy?" Ginny and Meredith both stared at the brunette, amazed how much she had come out of her shell lately. All three girls stood in the Prefect bathroom dressed for the ball.

Ginny wore the lavender dress robes from before with similar colored ballet flats and her bright red hair was curled in loose ringlets atop her head. Her makeup was a bit darker then Meredith's lightly made up face but slightly lighter then Hermione's, though compared to what they'd seen Lavender Brown walk out in it could be called light. They almost felt sorry for Ron who was Lavender's date.

Hermione as said had slightly darker make up, and wore the light blue full gown with it's slightly off the shoulder straps. On her feet she wore high heels which were silver and went with her dress beautifully. Her hair was tamed a bit and left loose down her back in slight waves.

Meredith wore the lightest make up of her friends, much preferring the natural look. Her long red hair was lengthened with a spell, something she thought she might keep and was now in just past waist length curls that were tight yet loose and springy. Half of it on the left side was pulled away from her face by a serpent clip she'd found in one of the shops in Hogsmeade and her dress was a beautiful cream/white and spring green and had a layered effect.

On the right side were spring green roses, acting almost like pins to separate the layers. Her shoes were also a similar green color and high heeled pushing her up to 5'6 for the night instead of her short 5'4 – or at least she always thought she was rather short.

"I didn't know you had it in you Hermione," Ginny said with a small smirk and Hermione chuckled.

"I can surprise you ever now and then."

"Well, we should get down there or we'll miss all the fun," Meredith said and hooked her arms with her friends elbows. With that the three friends left the bathroom and descended towards the great hall where Ginny and Hermione's dates waited.

"My lady," Zabini said as he bowed courteously and took the younger redheads hand. Meredith couldn't stop the ironic smile from gracing her face. Wasn't it Zabini who had said he'd never let the Blood Traitor touch him much less be seen with him in September? "Hello Granger, Meredith."

Hermione and Meredith nodded at the boy as he led Ginny into the hall and Meredith turned towards Hermione who was looking around in an almost frantic manner.

"Hermione, he'll be here," Meredith said. "Who is he anyway?" She raised an eyebrow in question of Hermione bit her lip and opened her mouth to speak when a tall red haired figure appeared in front of them.

"Ms. Granger, I hope I am not late," Fred said and Meredith's jaw dropped before she chuckled as Hermione blushed and gave her hand to the older boy. Though if she thought about it Hermione was only a year younger then Fred and George since she was born in 79' instead of 80' like the majority of her year mates.

"Meredith, lovely to see you again," Fred said as he looked up from where he'd kissed the back of Hermione's hand. Meredith nodded and watched as the two left for the Great Hall together and sighed, wishing she had Tom with her but she knew he wouldn't be able to make it since he was debriefing his chosen Death Eaters on tomorrows raid.

"You ready?" a familiar voice asked from behind her and she turned and smirked, handing her lace gloved hand to the blonde boy in the silver and dark green suit.

"Ready as ever dear Cousin," she replied and she and Draco entered the great hall together. She wasn't unaware of the poisonous glare Pansy Parkinson, the ex-betrothed of Draco, sent her way. Nor the other shocked glances at seeing the Gryffindor Princess and Slytherin Prince together. She actually thought she might have seen Snape choke on whatever he was drinking and Dumbledore's twinkle deem just a little.

**xXx**

"Severus, have you any news?" Albus asked just before the Costume ball. He was dressed as the muggle image of Merlin with crescent moon and stars on the royal blue robes. Severus was dressed as he always was, despite the best attempts to get the man to dress up he refused.

"The Dark Lord is planing a raid but I am not in the circle of people who know the location or time." Severus stared at the people gathering in the Great Hall slowly. "He hasn't trusted me much in a while now."

"I see," Albus said with a sigh. "And Meredith?"

"You've seen her for yourself Headmaster," Snape sneered and it deepened as the redhead entered with her friends. At first he didn't even realize it was her, her costume being as it was but he'd know those mismatched eyes, the eyes which caused him so much pain and that cursed red hair. He also recognized her costume choice as a villain from a muggle show or comic.

Poison Ivy, he wondered if it meant anything or if she just liked the character? He had to admit that like Lily, the green of the costume brought out her beauty, and showed a figure that many hadn't realized the girl-who-lived. Granger seemed to be dressed as Belle from Beauty and The Beast. Ms. Weasley was some sort of circus performer with a really short dress? He really wasn't too sure and he doubted she even knew.

"I haven't seen the cat sense her capture but I suppose that could be because it's not wondering around close by. Her closeness with Draco worries me though." Albus nodded.

"Yes, it was quite a shock. She showed some concern for him in our last lesson, her cousin I think she refereed to him as. It surprised me to see she was here with him last night. Ms. Grangers choice of date as well as Ms. Weasley's caught me off guard I must admit," Albus admitted and Severus sneered.

"Yes, they were quite unexpected." Severus pulled a paper out of his robes and handed it to Albus who hadn't been to breakfast for the morning paper. Albus unrolled the paper and raised an eyebrow at the headline; **GIRL-WHO-LIVED IN LOVE? WHO IS MYSTERIOUS SUITOR?**

"There is also that. I've never seen the man before, but he looks familiar," Severus said.

"I see," Albus said gravely, he too thought the man looked familiar, it was the way he held himself in the picture and his eyes. Not the color, but in the way they glared. He did resemble someone though and it was only the sparkle of the locket around Meredith's neck that sparked his memory. Tom, the man in the photo with Meredith reminded him of Tom, but it couldn't be.

A relation maybe, Tom was after all old enough to have children or even grandchildren but wouldn't he had heard of such an event? If it was Tom he'd have had to have a very powerful glamor charm to pull this off, but that left the question – Did Meredith know who she was with? Was it even Tom?

"We'll have to keep an eye on her, closer the before," Albus said with a sigh. "I fear the worst my boy, I truly do."

The ball continued on and it wasn't until an hour latter Snape noticed Meredith slipped out of the Great Hall and then he felt his mark burn.

"I apologize, but I must go," Severus muttered as he leaned over to address Albus who took one look at his arm and nodded.

**xXx**

"Ah, and my guest of honor has arrived," Voldemort's smooth dark voice said as Snape Apparated onto Privet Drive.

Meredith stood by his side in a dark cloak, her hood pulled up. If you looked though you could see the green costume underneath, a costume that she had taken pride in, especially since Tom had reacted so nicely to seeing her in it. _'His little Redbird had poison'_ he'd said as he'd greeted her with a kiss. The Death Eaters had all reacted with shock at seeing the Girl-Who-Lived with their Lord like that. Bellatrix LeStrange had nearly hissed herself horse in her jealousy and anger. One Crucio from her Lord had put a stop to it though, much to her amusement.

She had wondered why he wanted Snape there but she wasn't going to complain, either he'd die or keep the secret, either way she didn't care.

"My Lord," Snape said as he knelled, taking into account the feminine figure beside the Dark Lord. Much to close to be another Death Eater. "You have called."

"Obviously," Meredith muttered with a sigh and turned to stare at the house which had brought her so much pain and hatred. Inside her family slept, and soon they'd awaken to reap that which they sowed.

"Do you know where we are Severuss?" Voldemort hissed motioning him to rise and he did so, looking around as he did. His eyes widened comically under his mask and he nodded.

"This is Privet Drive my Lord, where Potter lives during the Summer," he replied, knowing it didn't matter anymore. Potter wasn't here after all. Voldemort chuckled darkly and to Severus' surprise wrapped an arm around the mysterious cloaked woman petite waist.

"That it is, now let us begin," Voldemort said and walked forward, leaving the woman behind him. He raised his arms, snake like as they were – having shed his mortal face not long before Severus had arrived. After all it would scare the Muggles more, Meredith had said. Severus watched in wonder as the Dark Lord began to chant and his wand glowed and then a grid like shield appeared over the house.

It glowed, crackled and then as cliché as it may be, it popped. Like rice crispy or bubble, it just popped. The Death Eaters roared in laughter as the Dark Lord grinned and the mysterious woman giggled and slink her way to the Dark Lords side and wrapped herself in his arms, her head against his chest.

To his shock the Dark Lord allowed it.

"It was much weaker then I had given the Old man credit for," Voldemort said and motioned to Bellatrix and Parkinson.

"Bellatrix, Parkinson go and place silencing charms around the other houses. Avery, Dolohov a notice-me-not charm around this house and Severus, Lucius go and get Meredith's Halloween gifts," Voldemort instructed motioning them to their duties.

Severus blinked but did has the Dark Lord bid, he would be unable to save Potter's relatives it seemed, and part of him pitied the girl because she was about to loose the only living relatives left. Well, unless you count the countless Purebloods she was related to distantly, some closer then others.

"What is the meaning of this!" Vernon yelled as he struggled against Dolohov and Snape, Petunia and Dudley followed out clutching onto each other. All where in their night clothes.

"You," Petunia muttered her blue eyes wide in fear and knowing. Severus felt pity for her in that moment no matter how much he disliked Petunia Evans.

"Ah, I see you recognize me, Petunia is it?" Voldemort asked, his wand twirling in his left hand. Meredith had already drawn her new untraceable wand and was moving it in slightly in a mocking manner at the three muggles.

"Your the one who killed my sister and her husband." Voldemort nodded, scowling at the muggles in front of him.

"Yes, an unfortunate lose, I do regret having had to do that." Severus' eyebrow hit his hairline at this and he watched as the Dark Lord moved around the family in a predatory manner. "This, however, I will not regret. Crucio!" The spell shot out and hit Dudley head on.

Everyone who had returned from their duties watched in almost utter silence as the fat lard of Muggle screamed and squirmed gruesomely on thee ground. Petunia and Vernon both yelling and screaming their selves horse.

"Stop, stop this at once you freak!" Meredith's hand tightened around her wand and she glared at her Uncle, leveled her wand and spat the first curse that came to mind.

"Rumpus!" the sickly yellow curse shot out and hit Vernon on his right hand which was curled in front of him. There was a shattering sound and a scream as the fat Muggle man clutched at the grotesquely broken hand. Meredith chuckled, her eyes burning in pleasure at having gotten back at her Uncle at last.

"My, you have been reading haven't you my Little Redbird," Voldemort practically purred. "Now, watch closely."

"Ut Discerpo!" he hissed and the broken hand was severed a few inches above the wrist. Blood shot out of the stump almost like a horror movie yet this was real life, this wasn't some movie effect.

"Why, why are you doing this!" Petunia screamed.

"Why?" Meredith asked stepping forward. "You want to know why, Aunt Petunia!" She hissed this as she pulled her hood off and she heard the sharp intact of breath from behind her, from Snape. She didn't care though, not even when he muttered her name in his shock.

"You!" Vernon growled. "You freak, look what you've done! Should have drowned you when you were dumped on us you ungrateful abomination!"

"Victus Vereor!" she hissed and laughed when the bleeding man began to breath heavily and scream, clawing at his eyes.

"See Aunt Petunia, I have the power now. For every mean thing you ever said to me, for every slap, kick and beating I received. For all the food that was denied from me and all those birthdays you'd take time out of your day to belittle and give me dog food. For all those times you sat back and did nothing to help me, for my mother who I'm sure you belittled and ostracized because she was a freak," Meredith said her eyes glaring at her fearful Aunt and Cousin. "Now it's my turn to have the fun."

"You are a freak you little bitch, just like Lily. Your just like her, freakish and unnatural! Magic is a abomination, it's the reason for my parents death and it's the reason you were dumped on my caring family instead killed when you should have been, with you freakish parents!" Petunia yelled, turning away from her half dead husband and weeping son.

"Excorio," Voldemort hissed and smiled as it hit the horse faced woman and began to slowly peal back layers of her skin.

"Magic doesn't kill people, people kill people," Meredith told her screaming Aunt who was losing skin starting from her finger tips up. "Though Magic helps with the neatness."

She shrugged as she laughed, a laugh that would have sounded more appropriate coming from Bellatrix, the Black Blood they could assume. Severus could only watch in horror as The-Girl-Who-Lived, his last link to Lily, tortured her relatives. This went on for half and hour it seemed, crucio's were the most frequent spell used along with some darker magic, some of which came from Meredith much to his shock.

"I grow tired of you three," Voldemort spat as he looked at the bloody pulps of flesh in front of him. Petunia was little more then a raw red fleshy mess, missing over half the skin on her body her night dress was red from the blood. Her son was little better though at least he had his skin intact and her husband had succumbed to madness and seemed to be in a catatonic or coma like state.

"Redbird, would you like to do the honors?" Voldemort asked and Meredith grinned and pointed her wand first at Vernon. Severus could only watch in horror as it began to glow a familiar sick green.

"Avada Kadavra!" she snarled and the light hit the obese man head on, and it was over for him. Then Petunia and finally Dudley, and the last of the Dursley bloodline, other then Marge Dursley who would find herself dead by morning thanks to a small group of Death Eaters sent her way, were dead.

"Are you well?" Voldemort muttered low so that only Meredith would hear, and much to his surprise and slight fear as he knew how disorienting it was to commit your first murder, Meredith threw her arms around and him and crashed her lips to his uncaring of the form he was currently in.

Many of the Death Eaters groaned in disgust and or gasped in shock at this, while other like Bella hissed in jealousy. Severus had a hard time keeping his bile down. For several seconds, what seemed like forever the two seemed to want to devour the others faces, and were pressed so tightly together it was hard to tell it was two people. Then when they did Meredith laughed once and took a deep breath.

"I feel fine," she finally said and Voldemort nodded before turning to Severus who was still standing there and wondering when he'd be dismissed, or if he even would be.

"Severus, you look green," Voldemort said with some amusement. "Don't think of leaving Severus, we'll be having a long talk you, Meredith and I."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So who should Hermione end up with? Fred or Ron? Right now I'm leaning with Fred, though for Ron friends I was thinking of finding him a nice girl as well, someone other then Lavender, suggestion are welcome.**


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